


Zak & Nick

by lastweekon



Category: Ghost Adventures (TV)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, M/M, Paranormal, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-15
Updated: 2016-08-16
Packaged: 2018-07-15 04:11:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 58,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7207256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lastweekon/pseuds/lastweekon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zak is sick and tired of going to the same parties with the same people. He's bored and unhappy with the way his life has turned out. But when he meets a stranger at a party, he wonders if he might be able to turn things around.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the beginning of what I think will be a fairly long relationship origin story. Can't get enough of these two!

The car pulled up outside the house. Already, Zak could hear the music thumping. The bass vibrated throughout his body, giving him that intoxicating, buzzing feeling he used to crave. But now he found the prospect of _another_ party exhausting. They were all the same. The same group of pseudo adults grasping for the freedom and lack of responsibilities of childhood. The same lame music drowning out the possibility of actual conversation. The same girls that were fun for the night, but lacked any real substance when the sun rose. This wasn’t the life he wanted anymore. And yet, here he was. And as much as he felt he’d outgrown it, at the end of the day, it still beat another Saturday night alone. The last thing he needed was _more_ time to think about how his life hadn’t turned out at all the way he’d planned it.  
He took a deep breath, readying himself for another night of mind-numbing boredom. Just then, a thunderous cheer rose from inside the house. Zak knew that sound; keg stand. He sighed to himself, already bored and not even inside yet. It wasn’t too late to turn around. He could always go home and work on his music. He never minded a little solitude, but lately he’d been getting his fill of it. And the thought of being home alone for the third night this week had him feeling that deep, dark pit of loneliness that was all too reminiscent of his childhood. He didn’t want to go there. Not tonight. Tonight he needed a distraction.  
He walked through the door, taking in the familiar scene. Clusters of people gathered, drunken conversation being yelled over the music. Couples had broken away to dance or press up against each other in the nearest dark corner. Bros gathered for shots, toasting to any and everything that kept the alcohol flowing. Yep. He _really_ didn’t want to be here. He needed to find a distraction, and he needed to do it fast.  
He headed toward the kitchen, anxious for a little liquid courage.  
“Zak!” One of the bros called out. Zak recognized the voice immediately. He turned to see Jason flagging him over. “Come do shots with us! Put some hair on that pasty chest of yours.”  
Zak rolled his eyes, but he was actually a little relieved. Jason was an okay guy, easily the least offensive of the group of friends. And Zak _was_ looking to get buzzed quick. He slapped on his best party face, making his way over to the group and accepting a shot glass full of whatever it was they were drinking at the moment.  
“Glad you made it, man.” Jason said with a quick slap to Zak’s back.  
“Glad to be here.” Zak lied. “What are we toasting to?”  
“We were just deciding on that.” Jason laughed. “Got any suggestions?”  
“Oh.” Zak thought for a second. Reaching into his memory for one of the many asinine things they'd drunkenly toasted to in the past. “Um...to living with no regrets?”  
The group let out a roar of approval, lifting their shots into the center. Zak took a moment to scan the group. It was the crowd faces he’d come to expect from so many similar nights. But his eyes locked with one unfamiliar face across the circle. He was young guy, younger than Zak. He stood tall and unassuming against the group of rowdy, overgrown frat boys. Zak might not have even noticed him if it wasn’t for his eyes. They were a rich chocolate brown and Zak found that the longer he looked at them, the harder it was to look away. The younger man looked back, eyebrows furrowed quizzically. Zak felt heat rush to his face as he realized he was staring. He broke eye contact, quickly training his eyes to his glass and joining in half-heartedly as the group toasted to no regrets. He drank the shot down eagerly, feeling the heat of it as it crawled down his throat to warm his stomach. He accepted another pour and took it down immediately, not even bothering to toast along with the others. He was careful to keep his eyes on anyone but the other man, smiling and laughing along to jokes he wasn’t listening to.  
When the warmth of a the alcohol had reached his legs, he decided to take a break from the shot bros and switch to beer. He was all for getting a little tipsy, but piss drunk wasn’t really his thing these days. He excused himself from the group, laughing off the heckling he received and headed for the kitchen where he knew the keg would be. The shots had been a nice distraction, but he was feeling prepped and ready for something that could keep him busy the rest of the night. He surveyed the area. He recognized nearly every woman he saw and had either _made out_ or struck out with each and every one of them. He nodded ‘hello’ to a couple of people as he passed, determined to get to the keg uninterrupted this time. As he turned into the kitchen, he spotted an unfamiliar woman pouring herself a beer. _Bingo._  
She cursed quietly as her beer foamed over the sides of her cup. Zak chuckled to himself. She was cute. Pretty in the kind of effortless way that Zak had always responded to.  
“Need some help with that?” He asked, walking up to her.  
“What? Oh, no. Just went a little overboard. Damn foam.” She said with a laugh.  
“Happens to the best of us.” Zak said, cooly. “I’m Zak, by the way.” He held his hand out.  
“Christine.” she said, smiling and reaching out to accept his hand.  
“Nice to meet you Christine. I don’t think I’ve seen you around here before.”  
“Yeah, I’m in town for the weekend visiting my friend Amy” She said, nodding toward a woman Zak immediately recognized. He’d fooled around with her on more than one drunken night. She’d wanted something more, but Zak wasn’t interested in commitment. Not with her anyway.  
“Oh yeah, I know Amy.” He said awkwardly. He nodded a hello to the woman as she glared back at him.  
“Oh wait, are you _that_ Zak?” Christine asked, crossing her arms over her chest in disapproval.  
“I don’t know what you mean.” He said dumbly, wishing he could be back with the shot bros.  
“So _you’re_ the asshole who led Amy on for _two months_ before you just stopped answering her texts all together. She’s a great girl, you know. Too good from some baggy pants-wearing, Ed Hardy wannabe _douchebag_ like you.” She spat, storming off.  
“Nice to meet you too.” He called over his shoulder, grabbing a cup and filling it with beer. In all honesty, he probably deserved that. He _had_ kind of iced Amy out. But only after trying to let her down easily. A lot of good that had done him.  
“That was brutal.” A voice said from behind him.  
He had an audience. _Perfect._  
“Yeah, no shit.” Zak said, feeling annoyed. He turned to see who the voice belonged to and was surprised to find the man with the brown eyes staring back at him. His breath hitched as their eyes locked again. There was something inviting about the man’s face, and Zak found he didn’t mind the intrusion as much as he had a moment before.  
“Sorry, I was just…” the man trailed off, holding up his empty cup.  
“Oh.” Zak said, taking a step back from the keg.  
The man was tall and slender, but there was tone to his muscles and he carried himself with the kind of confidence that Zak found intriguing. Zak watched as he made his way to the keg, filling his cup with the frothy liquid.  
“So what’d you do?” the younger man asked.  
“What?” Zak asked, feeling like he was being pulled from a haze.  
“What’d you do to get her so pissed off?” he asked again, confidence unwavering.  
“Oh. I went out with her friend a few times and it didn’t work out.” Zak said dismissively.  
“Got it. So you blew her off.” The younger man said, knowingly.  
Zak scoffed. Who the hell did this guy think he was? He didn’t even know Zak and here he was making assumptions about things he had no business talking about.  
“No offense meant...Zak, was it? I don’t know the whole story.” he said, taking a drink.  
“No, you don’t.” Zak answered back coldly.  
“So you didn’t blow her off?” The younger man asked with a smirk.  
“No.” Zak insisted. Not that it was any of his business. “I mean, not really...”  
“Got it. My mistake.” he said with another knowing look.  
Zak wanted to punch the look right off his face.  
“I’m Nick, by the way.” the younger man said, extending a hand.  
Zak reached out to shake it in spite of himself.  
“Zak.” he heard himself say. He didn’t know why he was even talking to this asshole, only that there was something about him that made Zak want to stay.  
“Zak. That’s what I thought.” Nick said with a nod. “Listen, I think we got off on the wrong foot here. And from what I can tell, you’re one of the only tolerable people _at_ this party.”  
“Uh, thanks.” Zak said, feeling weirdly flattered.  
Nick hopped up on the counter top, making himself comfortable. Zak took the opportunity to give him a once over. He was attractive. Not what Zak typically considered his _type_ , but then again he didn’t know if he really _had_ a type when it came to men.  
“So, how do you know Jason?” Nick asked, interrupting Zak’s thoughts.  
Zak thought for a second. How _did_ he know Jason? He couldn’t remember. He knew he didn’t know him from college, so a friend had probably introduced them. But for the life of him, he couldn’t think of who.   
“I actually don’t remember.” he said honestly. He laughed a little bit at how telling that was of their friendship. “I guess mutual friends? What about you?” Zak asked, suddenly hoping Jason and Nick weren’t too close.   
“He’s my cousin’s college buddy. He introduced us when I decided to move out here a couple years ago.” Nick said, taking a drink of his beer.   
“Oh, where’d you move from?” Zak asked. Although he was pretty sure he could guess based on Nick’s New England accent.   
“Small town outside of Boston.”   
“Oh, that makes sense.” Zak said. “Your accent.” he clarified after receiving a confused look from Nick.  
“It get’s even stronger when I’m drunk.” he laughed and Zak noticed the way he seemed to radiate light as the sound rose from him.   
“So, does that mean you’re drunk now?” Zak asked with a smile.   
“Nah. This is nothing.” Nick said. “But get a few more beers in me and you probably won’t understand anything I’m saying.”   
“Good to know.” Zak said, subconsciously moving closer to lean against the counter Nick sat on.   
“So tell me, Zak. Do you party like this all the time?” Nick asked, brown eyes boring into Zak’s.   
Zak felt like a puzzle that Nick was trying to solve.   
“Not really. I mean, I used to. I kind of hate it now to be honest.” Zak said with a humorless chuckle.   
“Yeah, I was gonna say. It doesn’t really seem like your scene.” Nick said.   
“Yeah, I guess it’s not really anymore.” Zak agreed.   
“So what are you doing here tonight?” Nick asked curiously.  
“I don’t really know.” Zak shrugged. “I guess it was just better than being alone.”  
There was no point in lying. He hardly knew this guy, but there was something so freeing about just being honest. He spent too much time pretending these days. “I almost didn’t even come in.” Zak said with a chuckle. “I sat outside debating for like ten minutes before I got out of my car.”   
“What made you made you decide to come in?” Nick asked.  
Normally, Zak would shut down at this point in a conversation. He wasn’t much for sharing his feelings if he didn’t have to. But something about Nick was comforting and Zak found himself wanting to open up a bit more than usual.  
“I thought about going home alone to my empty apartment.” he said honestly.   
“Well, I’m glad you decided to come in.” Nick said with a warm smile that sent a shiver up Zak’s spine. “I don’t know how many more toasts to life I could have handled with those frat boys out there.”  
Zak laughed, trying hard not to blush. This was the problem he had with guys. He never knew if they were flirting or just being nice. With women, it was always so much easier to tell.   
“So this isn’t really your scene either, huh?” Zak asked.   
“No, not really.” Nick agreed. He hopped off the counter, refilling his cup. He held the gun out for Zak, refilling his cup as well. “But the beer’s free.” he smiled.   
“So Zak, If you weren’t here at this awesome party talking to me, what would you be doing with your night?” The younger man asked, hopping back up on the counter. He sat a bit closer than he had before, and Zak tried hard not to read into it.   
“I’d probably be at home working on some music.” He said.   
“Oh yeah? What do you play?” Nick asked, clearly intrigued.   
“Oh, I can’t play anything!” Zak laughed. “I mostly just mix and write lyrics.”   
“That’s awesome. Your stuff any good?”   
“Some of it, I think.” Zak said uncertainly. He didn’t share his music often, but he had written a couple of things he was particularly proud of.   
“I bet it’s better than you think. Everyone’s always so much more critical of their own work.” Nick said reassuringly. “Sing something for me.”   
“What?” Zak said. “No way! Besides, I don’t really sing. It’s like more spoken word…”  
“Oh, that’s cool.” Nick said approvingly. “You ever perform?”   
“Oh, God no!” Zak said, dying inside at the idea. “ I mean, I’m a DJ, so I’ll use my own mixes and stuff. But never original songs.”  
“You’re a DJ?” Nick asked, but it sounded more like a statement. “Makes sense.” he nodded.  
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Zak asked.  
“Oh, nothing. It’s just, you look the type. You’ve got the hair and the clothes...that sort of thing.” Nick said as if that explained what he meant.  
Zak wasn’t sure whether it was meant as a compliment or an insult. He wasn’t exactly beaming with pride over his current profession, so to hear he ‘looked the type’ was more than a little disconcerting.  
“I’m gonna just skip right over that comment, I think.” Zak chuckled nervously. He was having a nice time talking to Nick and he didn’t want to risk ruining it.  
“I didn’t mean it as an insult.” Nick said quickly, placing a hand on Zak’s shoulder. “I just meant that it makes sense, you know. I could see you DJ-ing some big party at one of the clubs on the strip. You’ve got that kind of cool look about you. That’s all. No offense meant, I swear.”  
Zak smiled at the weight of Nick’s hand on his shoulder, enjoying the way warmth spread through his body at the younger man’s touch.  
“I pretty much only do weddings at this point. I’ve done a couple bar mitzvahs too. Definitely no clubs.”  
“Well, not yet anyway.” Nick said with a smile, dropping his hand from Zak’s shoulder.  
“Hopefully not ever.” Zak said with a laugh. “It’s not exactly my dream job.”  
“Oh yeah? Then what is?” Nick asked curiously.  
Zak had never had anyone so interested in him before. It felt nice.  
“I honestly have no idea.” Zak laughed. “I've been trying to figure that out for years.”  
“Well, what makes you happy?” Nick asked. He cocked his head to the side, studying Zak with those big, brown eyes.  
“That’s the million dollar question.” Zak admitted. He didn’t know what made him truly happy. Should he? Did everyone else around him have it figured out already?  
“You can’t think of _one_ thing that makes you feel good about yourself?” Nick asked, his face looked sad and Zak felt his walls go up immediately.  
“Well, what makes _you_ happy?” he asked, deflecting the attention.  
“We’re not talking about me.” Nick said with a smirk.  
Zak crossed his arms over his chest. He felt his face flush with embarrassment. Was he really so pathetic that he couldn’t even think of one thing that brought joy to his life?  
“I love cinematography.” Nick said, thankfully breaking the painful silence. “I’d love to be a filmmaker some day. My friends and family are the most important people in my life. I love to rock climb and play sports. I’ve played just about every sport there is at one point or another. When I was a little younger, I dreamed of being in the NBA.”  
“I like to help people.” Zak said with a shrug. “I love animals, especially dogs. I’m really close to my mom. And I like to make music.”  
“See. Everybody loves something.” Nick smiled happily. “Now you just have to find a job that lets you make money doing one of those things.”  
“You make it sound so easy.” Zak said.  
“It _is_ easy.” Nick declared. “Everyone just tries to make it harder than it needs to be. You can be anything you want to be, Zak.”  
Zak smiled. Maybe Nick was right. Maybe it was that easy. Maybe it was possible for Zak to find a way to make money _and_ feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. He didn’t know for sure, but he knew that he liked the way that Nick looked at life. His positivity was infectious and he made Zak feel invincible. He needed that in his life. He decided right then and there that he wanted to keep Nick close.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick wants to call Zak to hang out but he's feeling nervous about it for some reason. He's pretty sure he used to be a lot better at making new friends.

Nick laid on the couch flipping through bad Saturday afternoon TV. It was a nice day, and for once he didn't have a weekend job scheduled. He knew he should really be taking advantage of this rare Saturday off, but he couldn't think of anything he wanted to do. He knew most of his friends were probably still asleep, having stayed out until early this morning. And when they _did_ wake up, they'd no doubt be nursing some pretty bad hangovers. He’d gotten all the drunken texts the night before urging him to come meet up with them. But his bed was calling him, and in the end, sleep had won. But now he felt like he was the only person awake and he was _bored_.   
He thought again about Zak. It had been a few days since he’d met the older man at Jason’s party. Zak had given him his number before he left and told Nick to give him a call if he ever wanted to hang out. He was a nice guy and easy to talk to and Nick had thought about calling him a bunch of times the past few days. But something kept stopping him. He was usually pretty good at making friends and he’d done alright getting to know Zak at the party. But for whatever reason, the idea of calling him up to hang out felt so...weird. He couldn't think of what to say and he worried that Zak would think it was strange if he called him up out of the blue like that. But Zak _had_ given him his number. He didn't even ask for it, the older man had just scribbled it down on a napkin and handed it over. Nick smiled to himself thinking about it. He had really enjoyed talking to Zak. They’d spent well over an hour just talking about life and Nick felt a kinship with the older man. He _wanted_ to spend more time with him, get to know him better. So why were his palms sweating at the thought of giving him a call? He felt childish. This wasn’t the first day of kindergarten. He was a full grown man capable of making new friends.   
He picked up the phone, feeling ridiculous. He reached for the napkin where Zak had written his number. It had been sitting in the middle of his coffee table, mocking him since he’d gotten home the other night. No more. He was doing this and he was doing it _right now_. He punched in the numbers, holding his breath as the line began to ring. His eyes went wide as he realized he didn’t even have a plan. He had no idea what he was going to say. He thought quickly about hanging up, but it was too late. He heard the line connect on the second ring.   
“Hello?” He heard Zak say.  
“Hey, it’s Nick...Groff...from the party the other night?” Nick said, feeling a little scattered.   
“Oh hey, Nick Groff from the party the other night.” Zak said, and Nick could hear the grin in his voice.   
“Sorry…” Nick said, blushing a deep red. Thank God this was a phone call. “I wasn’t sure if you’d remember.” he added dumbly. This was _not_ going well.  
“I was drunk, but I wasn’t _that_ drunk.” Zak chuckled. “How’s it going?”   
“Pretty good, how about you?” Nick asked, feeling himself begin to calm down a bit.   
“Not bad.” Zak said. “Just trying to decide what I want to do with my Saturday. Did Jason invite you to that party tonight?   
“Oh yeah, you gonna go?” Nick asked. He had already said no, but he may reconsider if Zak was planning to go.   
“Probably not. I can only handle so many of those a week, you know? How about you?” Zak asked.  
“I already told him I was busy tonight.” Nick said.  
“Oh yeah? What are you up to?” Zak asked curiously.   
“I’m not sure.” Nick admitted with a chuckle. “I was actually calling to see if maybe you wanted to do something?”  
“Oh.” Zak said, sounding surprised. “What did you have in mind?”  
Nick dropped his head into his hand, thankful again that this was a phone call. His mind was blank. Normally, when you call someone to hang out, you have _something_ in mind.   
“Um...I don’t know.” Nick started, feeling his palms begin to sweat again. “There’s this cool indoor climbing wall I’ve been wanting to try?” he suggested, just happy to have thought of something to suggest.   
“I don’t do so well with heights.” Zak chuckled.  
“Oh, okay...” Nick said. Part of him wondered if maybe Zak just didn’t want to hang out with him afterall.   
“But there’s this new bar that opened up near me. They refurbished a bunch of old arcade games. It’s pretty cool.” Zak chimed in.   
Nick felt himself relax again.   
“That sounds like fun.” Nick agreed. “Let’s do it. What time should I meet you there?”  
“I’m ready now.” Zak said. “Is it too early? We could meet up later if you wanted. Whatever.” he added quickly.   
Nick smiled happily at Zak’s eagerness. So he _did_ want to hang out.   
“I just have to shower quick, but I could meet you there in an hour?” Nick offered.   
“Sounds great. I’ll text you the address.” Zak said brightly.   
“Ok, man. See you in a bit.”   
“Bye.”  
Nick hung up the phone feeling like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He had no idea why he felt so intimidated. But he was happy that he’d made the call. And now they could just hang out and get to know each other better. He had been wanting to expand his friend pool a bit, and Zak seemed like _just_ the kind of guy he was looking for. 

Nick walked up to the bar 45 minutes later. He was early. But he was always early for things he was nervous about. He walked into the bar, deciding that starting in on a beer might not be a bad idea. Hopefully it would loosen him up a bit. He took a look around the bar. Zak wasn't kidding. The walls were lined in all the old arcade games he remembered from his youth. This was definitely Nick’s kind of place. The music was good, the crowd was loud but not too crazy and the beer was cheap.   
He walked up to the bar and ordered a beer. While he waited, he tried to decide if he should grab a table or play a game. He wasn’t sure what Zak was going to want to do when he got here and he felt like his decision could set the tone. The bartender handed him his beer and he slapped some cash down on the counter, taking a long and much needed drink. He took a deep breath trying to calm his unnecessary nerves when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to find Zak grinning back at him. His smile was infectious and Nick soon found himself returning it.   
“Hey, man.” Zak said warmly. “Glad I’m not the only one who got here too early.”  
“Yeah.” Nick said. “I wasn’t sure about parking. Can I get you a beer?”  
“Uh, sure. I’ll take whatever you’re having.” Zak said.  
Nick turned to flag the bartender, pointing to his bottle. Zak pulled out his wallet, handing him some cash.   
“I got this round.” Nick said, pushing Zak’s hand away.   
“Fine. But I’ve got the next round.” Zak countered. And Nick couldn’t help but notice how blue his eyes looked when he smiled. “So should we get a table?”  
“Yeah, sure.” Nick said, thankful he didn’t have to decide. He gestured for Zak to lead the way and followed behind. He admired the older man’s hair as he walked. It stood on end, strategically spiked into fohawk. Nick wondered how long Zak spent styling it every day. He kept his own hair short and occasionally ran some product through it for special occasions. Otherwise, he pretty much just let it do its thing. But the spiked hair looked good on Zak. He pulled it off and It went along with his whole look. They found an open table with a couple available stools and took a seat. Nick took a drink of his beer, suddenly anxious about coming up with enough to talk about.   
“So, I hope this place is okay. I wasn’t sure if you were into arcade games.” Zak said, breaking the silence.   
“Oh yeah, it’s really cool!” Nick said. “I had no idea this was here.”  
“It’s pretty new actually. I think it opened up about a month ago.” Zak said, taking a sip of his beer.   
Nick knew it was his turn to initiate conversation. He felt like he was usually a lot better at this.  
“So you don’t do heights, huh?” He asked, grasping for straws.  
“What?” Zak asked, clearly confused by the sudden change of topic. “Oh yeah. Hell no! I don’t know what it is. I’ve been scared of heights for as long as I can remember.” he added with a chuckle.   
“That’s funny. I feel like I’ve been climbing things since I could walk.” Nick said. And it was true, for as long as he could remember, he’d always craved a little danger in his life.  
“That would explain the rock climbing then.” Zak nodded. “So, what’s the tallest thing you’ve ever climbed?”  
“Probably Mount Rainier. It’s a little over 14,000 feet.”  
“Oh shit!” Zak said, wide-eyed. “I thought you were gonna tell me about some indoor climbing attraction. That’s like _real_ actual mountain climbing. That's impressive!”  
“Thanks.” Nick said, laughing at the older man’s reaction. “I love it. I’d really like to travel around the world and climb other mountains at some point. We’ll see...”  
“What’s stopping you?” Zak asked curiously.   
“Honestly, the money at this point.” Nick chuckled. “Once I get that in order I’m hoping I can make it happen.”  
“I feel like an ass.” Zak said suddenly. “I just realized I didn’t even ask you what you do.”  
“Oh, no worries man.” Nick said, shaking his head dismissively. “ I do event photography and videography.”  
“That sounds right up your alley.” Zak said approvingly.   
“For sure.” Nick agreed. “I get to play around with cameras and editing software and I get paid to do it. It’s a lot of fun. But I’ve been thinking a lot about working on some of my own projects too.”   
“Like feature films, or what?” Zak asked, leaning in a bit closer as he listened.   
Nick took a drink of his beer, suddenly feeling a little parched. He hoped he wasn’t talking about himself too much.   
“Yeah, a feature film would be awesome. Or a documentary. Just something that feels like it’s mine, you know? Something I can really commit myself to. I feel like I need that.” He said with a shrug.  
“Then you should do it, Nick.” Zak said earnestly. “I really think you’d be great at it.”   
“You haven’t even seen any of my stuff yet.” Nick chuckled, but he felt his cheeks warm from the compliment.   
“I don’t need to.” Zak said, seriously. “You’ve got a lot of drive. I can tell that about you already. And anything you feel _that_ passionately about...you should at least try.”  
“Thanks.” Nick said appreciatively.   
“And I’d love to see some of your stuff if you wanted to show it to me sometime.” Zak said shyly.  
“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.” Nick smirked.   
“How many beers have you _had_?” Zak joked.  
“I mean your music. I’d really like to hear some of it. You don’t have to play me everything, just whatever you’re most proud of.” Nick said. Zak was an enigma and Nick found himself wanting to pick him apart piece by piece.   
“Yeah, alright.” Zak said cautiously. “Deal.”  
“Deal.” Nick said with a grin. 

A couple hours and half a dozen beers later, Nick was feeling pretty good. He’d already kicked Zak’s ass in Mortal Kombat and Donkey Kong and they’d settled into an easy rhythm. Nick no longer felt like he needed to fill every moment of silence. It felt comfortable.   
“So what do you wanna lose next?” Nick asked with a wicked smirk.   
“Whatever, dude. I kicked your ass at Pac Man.” Zak said with a playful punch to Nick’s shoulder.   
Nick could tell Zak was tipsy. His eyes had sort of glazed over a couple of beers ago and he had a permanent smiled etched onto his face.   
“Pac Man, Schmack Man.” Nick slurred. Okay. Maybe he was a little tipsy too. “That’s some beginner’s shit.”   
“Well then what does that make you since you lost?” Zak countered, grin growing wider.   
“Shut up.” Nick joked. “How about we play a _real_ game. A man’s game.” he challenged, puffing his chest out.   
“A man’s game?” Zak laughed, giving Nick a quizzical look. “You do know we’re at a glorified arcade, right?  
“Follow me.” Nick said, grabbing Zak by the arm and snaking his way through the crowd. His arm was _big_. Nick couldn’t get over the size of Zak’s bicep and he found himself grabbing on a bit tighter to really feel the muscle in his hands. He decided he definitely needed to up his weightlifting time at the gym.   
He came to a stop in front of the game he was looking for, giving Zak a satisfied look.   
“Really?” Zak asked. “Buck Hunter?”  
“What, are you scared or something?” Nick teased. “It’s okay. I’ll go easy on you.”   
Zak crossed his arms, giving Nick the hardest stare he could manage in his current state.  
“I think you should know, I _majored_ in Buck Hunter.” He said, eyes glowing bright blue. “I’m gonna crush you.”   
“Yeah, we’ll see about that.” Nick countered.   
He picked up one of the bright orange rifles and a moment later, Zak was at his side grabbing the other. They clicked through the opening scenes, selecting a two-person game at the highest level of difficulty.   
“You ready for this?” Nick asked smugly.   
“Are you?” Zak retorted.   
Nick rolled his eyes, pressing start. He and Zak both brought their rifles up, aiming at the screen as they waited for their prey to appear. The first buck darted across the screen and Zak shot first, easily hitting and killing his target.   
“Shit.” Nick muttered, readying himself for the next opportunity.   
He spotted another deer in the corner of the screen. He aimed quickly, popping off a shot and killing it. He smiled to himself as he heard Zak shoot twice, killing a duo of deer as they ran across the screen. Damn, he _was_ good at this game. He glanced over his rifle to find Zak’s eyes focused on the screen. His eyebrows were furrowed and serious and Nick smiled to himself, distracted by the intensity of his face and the way his jaw clenched tight. The sound of another shot pulled him from his daze.   
“Boom!” Zak said triumphantly. “And that’s how it’s done! Did you see that, Nick? Did you see how I mastered that game?”  
“Alright, alright. I want a rematch!” Nick laughed.   
“Oh what grounds?” Zak asked.   
“On the grounds of...whatever, man. I’ll buy the next round if I lose.”  
“Deal.” Zak smirked.   
Nick queued up the game and clicked start. This time he wasn’t gonna lose! Zak pressed in against him, crowding his space. He could feel the warmth coming off the older man’s body and he tried not to let it distract him from the game. The first buck appeared and Nick and Zak shot simultaneously. The deer went down, but Zak got the point.   
“Damn it!” Nick grunted. He was sure he’d hit it. “This game is defective.”   
“I’m pretty sure the game is fine.” Zak chuckled. “It’s your aim that needs some work.”  
Another deer ran across the screen and Nick hip-checked Zak, taking aim and shooting it dead.   
“That’s cheating!” Zak chortled, shoving at the barrel of Nick’s gun.   
Nick laughed, shoving Zak’s shoulder playfully as he took aim at a group of deer grazing in the corner of the screen. He managed to take out two of them but Zak got the last one.   
“It looks like you owe me a beer.” Nick gloated.   
“That did _not_ count!” Zak huffed. “Besides, I never said I’d buy you a beer.”  
“You wanna be a sore loser? That’s fine.” Nick joked. “I’ll get the beer.”   
“No, I’ll get it.” Zak said, holding Nick back. “But not because I lost. Because I definitely didn’t lose!”  
“That’s debatable seeing as I hit more deer than you.” Nick quipped.   
“Yeah, well you were distracting me!” Zak said.  
“Yeah, and you were distracting me the first game and I didn’t complain.”  
“How was I distracting you?” Zak asked, brow furrowing in confusion.   
Nick paused, suddenly wishing he hadn’t said anything. Zak _had_ been distracting him, but he hadn’t meant to and Nick didn’t know how to explain what he’d even been doing.   
“I don’t know, you just were.” He said dumbly. Too tipsy to come up with anything better.   
“Fine.” Zak said, eyes glowing. “I’ll get the beer. Then we can do best two out of three?”  
“Yeah, okay.” Nick agreed, swallowing hard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the tension begins...
> 
> So what did you think? I am loving poor, sweet, oblivious Nick.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zak and Nick get to talking about the paranormal and Nick's got a great idea.

They sat quietly in the dark room. Nick watched Zak out of the corner of his eye. The older man’s eyes were fixed on the screen and Nick had never felt so vulnerable. He’d agreed to show Zak one of the short films he’d made. He spent the past few days trying to decide which one to show him and he’d finally settled on one he made during college. He was proud of that film. He’d taken some risks that had really paid off in the final product. But now as he watched Zak watch it, all he saw were the errors. The scenes that ran a bit too long, the stilted dialogue..he was pretty sure he’d never be able to watch this film the same way again.   
Zak hadn’t spoken once since he pressed play and Nick willed the video to just _end_ already. Why he’d ever agreed to show it to Zak, he had no idea. Finally, the credits rolled and Nick sat up, quickly grabbing for the remote to turn it off.   
“Wow, it’s been a while since I watched that.” he lied. “It’s not really how I remembered.”   
Zak could tell Nick was feeling insecure but he couldn’t understand why. His film had been more impressive than Zak could have imagined.   
“Nick, it was awesome.” Zak said, turning to face him. “You have such a great eye. I loved that one shot you did of the tree and the passage of time. I can’t believe you made that in _college_.”   
“You really liked it?” Nick asked, feeling a wave of relief wash over his body.  
“It was amazing. You definitely found your calling.” Zak said, practically beaming. “So when are you gonna make more?”  
Nick smiled. For some reason, the fact that Zak liked his film filled him with pride. He had grown to really value the older man’s opinion of him.   
“As soon as I figure out the right subject.” Nick said. “I’ve been playing around with topics, but none of them seem right.”   
Zak gave him a knowing look.  
“I think you’re scared.” Zak said matter-of-factly.  
“What? No I’m not.” Nick said, feeling defensive.  
“Nick, you’re talented. I’m pretty sure you could make an interesting film about a cardboard box. You just gotta take the plunge.”   
Maybe Zak was right. Maybe Nick _was_ letting his fear of failure hold him back.  
“It’s just a lot of work, you know? And I don’t want to start something I’m only halfway committed to.” Nick reasoned.  
“So then commit to it for real. No matter what it is, commit to finishing it. I really think you’re gonna surprise yourself with what you can do.”  
“Big talk coming from the guy who’s stuck doing a job he hates.” Nick said. And it came out sounding harsher than he meant.  
The words stung, but Zak knew that Nick was right. He was pushing 30 and he hadn’t once taken a real risk on anything.   
“Listen, man. I didn’t mean for it to come out like that.” Nick said. “I only meant to say that you’re capable of a lot more than you give yourself credit for. You owe it to yourself to try something that’s gonna make you happy.”   
“No, you’re right.” Zak agreed. “I gotta try something new.”  
“That’s all I’m saying.” Nick said.   
Zak was quiet and Nick worried that he had really offended him. He felt like a jerk. Zak had been trying to compliment him and Nick opened his big mouth without thinking. He had to fix it quick. Their friendship was still new, but he had really come to value it and he didn’t want to risk losing someone he could actually talk to.   
“I’ll help you, if you want.” Nick offered.   
“What?” Zak asked, confused about what Nick was offering to help with.  
“I could help you brainstorm ideas for new jobs...if you wanted.” He said cautiously.   
“Thanks.” Zak said with a grateful smile. He wasn’t used to having friends who encouraged him to do anything real. It felt nice.   
“Just say the word, okay?” Nick said, not wanting to come off too pushy, but wanting to be supportive.   
“Will do.” Zak smiled.   
Nick smiled back, happy to see that Zak didn’t seem to be mad at him.   
“Okay, now it’s your turn. I showed you my stuff, now I want to hear one of your songs.” Nick said with a grin.   
“Ugh…” Zak said, dropping his head into his hands. He had secretly hoped Nick had forgotten. “Do I have to?”  
“We had an agreement.” Nick said, unrelenting.   
“I should have gone first.” Zak mumbled, rising from the couch to grab his phone.   
“There’s a dock over here.” Nick said, reaching for the phone.   
Zak synched up the song and handed the phone to Nick. He wanted to curl up into a ball and die. He hadn’t played this song for anyone and truthfully, it was kind of weird. But Nick had asked to hear Zak’s favorite, and this was it.   
“I feel like I should explain-”  
“Ah ah ah.” Nick interrupted. “No explanations. Let me just listen to it first.”  
“But Nick-”  
“Just the title, Zak.” Nick insisted.   
“Fine.” The older man huffed. “It’s called _Spiritual Awakening_.”  
“Cool title.” Nick said, nodding his head approvingly. He pressed play, sitting back and getting comfortable.  
The song started with a low hum, a series of electronic beats faded in, slowly surrounding Nick as the sound seemed to swell. He bobbed his head to the beat, feeling is as it built. He closed his eyes as he sunk into the song, feeling the vibrations move through him, taking over. And just like that; static. Every muscle in his body froze at the sudden interruption. And quietly through the haze of static, Zak’s voice rose up.  
 _Hello….can you hear me?”_  
The beat dropped back in, moving like waves over Nick’s body.   
_I said, can you hear me!…_ Zak’s voice demanded louder this time.  
 _Who are you?...”Why do watch me at night?..._  
Nick’s eyes opened as he listened intently. Who was Zak talking to? Who was watching him at night?  
 _I just want answers...Why are you in my house?_  
Nick’s eyes shifted over to Zak as he listened. The older man sat quietly, his eyes on his hands folded in his lap. The music began to build again as Zak’s voice called out question after unanswered question. The bass rumbled deep within Nick’s body as it took over.  
 _Why are you here?_ Zak’s voice called desperately. _Are you trapped?...I just want to hear you. Please._  
The bass thrummed in Nick’s eardrums. His heart raced in his chest. He couldn’t take his eyes off Zak as he listened. The music was captivating and he felt himself getting lost in it. Zak looked up, locking eyes with Nick, but the younger man didn’t look away.   
_What happens when we die?_ Zak’s voice echoed loudly as the music came to a sudden halt.   
_Do you know you’re dead?_ He asked softly, sadly.  
 _Yes..._ Came a quiet reply. Then, the static took over again, slowly fading into a quiet hum.  
Nick sat quietly, catching his breath. That was _not_ what he was expecting when Zak had told him he made music. He’d never heard anything like that before.   
“I know it’s kinda weird.” Zak said, breaking Nick from his trance. His cheeks burned deep red.  
“No, it was really cool.” Nick said truthfully. “When you said you did some spoken word, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But that was...Zak, that was awesome.”   
Zak cracked a small smile. He wasn’t sure if Nick was just trying to be nice or if he really enjoyed it. He could tell he was still flushed. The way Nick had stared at him while he listened sent waves of heat over the older man’s skin. And now his brown eyes seemed to burn through Zak as he looked at him. Zak lowered his gaze. He couldn’t get carried away. He’d spent far too much time thinking about Nick’s eyes these past few weeks and it wasn’t productive.   
“It’s okay if it’s not really your thing.” Zak said dismissively.   
“No, man. I really liked it.” Nick said. “It was so...intoxicating.” It was the only word he could think to describe it. “How did you come up with that? Were those real recordings?” he added, unable to stop the flow of questions.   
“Uh, yeah.” Zak chuckled nervously. He hadn’t really talked about this with anyone before and he wasn’t sure how Nick would react.   
“So what happened?” Nick asked, leaning in. He loved a good ghost story, he had a few of his own. But nothing like what he’d just heard.  
“Well, it started a few months after I moved into my apartment.” Zak said.   
“The one you live in now?” Nick interrupted, too curious to wait.   
‘Yeah. So one night I’m sleeping and something kind of startles me awake. I’m laying in bed half asleep, just sort of staring at the ceiling while my heart is pounding away in my chest. And I just get this feeling, like a prickling on my skin, you know?”  
Nick swallowed hard, nodding his head in agreement. He knew that feeling well.   
“And I sit up slowly because I just _know_ there’s someone in the room with me. I can _feel_ her. And sure enough, there she is standing at the edge of my bed just kinda staring at me.”  
“What did you do?” Nick asked, heart pounding.  
“I just kinda froze, you know? I stared at her for a while. I’m not sure how long. And she just stared back. And then she sort of lifted her arm, like she was reaching out for me.” Zak imitated the move, reaching out toward Nick. “And then she just vanished.”  
“Woah.” Nick said. “Did you ever see her again?”  
“I see her all the time.” Zak said seriously. “A couple times a week usually.”  
“What? That’s crazy!” Nick said. “Has she ever done anything else? Or is it always the same?”  
“Well, I started trying to talk to her, obviously. So I was doing a bunch of recording sessions trying to get her to answer me. And then I got that response you heard in the song. And after that things kind of spiraled.”   
“What do you mean?” Nick asked, subconsciously scooting closer.  
“Well, that night I woke up and instead of standing at the foot of my bed, she’s right next to me, just staring... It scared the shit out of me, to be honest. And since then she’s started touching me. I’ll feel her hand on my arm, or she’ll shake me a little bit until I wake up. But she never answers me when I try to talk to her. And recently she’s started to get really possessive of me.”  
“What do you mean, possessive?” Nick asked sounding a little more excited than he meant to. These stories creeped him out, but more than anything, they intrigued him.   
“I mean, like...when I have people over. She messes with them. I think she gets jealous or something.” Zak said awkwardly.   
“Messes with them how?” Nick asked.  
Zak was trying to avoid getting into the particulars, but Nick was clearly intrigued and wanted the details.   
“Like, she’ll pull them out of bed or scratch them in the shower.”  
“Oh.” Nick said, feeling stupid. “ _Those_ kinds of guests.” He felt like he’d been punched in the gut. Maybe it was because it had been awhile since Nick had had any of _those_ kinds of guests. He was probably just feeling a little jealous. But Zak was a good looking guy, of course he had women over.  
“Yeah…” Zak chuckled awkwardly, rubbing at the back of his neck. “But the weirdest part is, I’ll be right there. Like right next to them and she won’t even touch me.”  
“Weird.” Nick muttered.   
“Yeah, so I don’t really know what to do about it. I feel like I can’t have people over to my place, you know?”   
“Have you thought about moving?” Nick suggested.   
“Yeah, but the rent is pretty cheap. And honestly, I’m worried she’d just follow me.” Zak said.  
“That happened to a buddy of mine. He grew up in a haunted house and whatever entity was in there ended up following him every time he moved. It even followed him to his dorm room during college.”   
“Well, shit.” Zak said, feeling defeated. “So am I stuck with this thing forever?”  
“No, I’m sure there’s gotta be some way to get rid of it. Or like, help it cross over?” Nick said, trying to be helpful. “I’m sure we could figure something out.”   
Zak couldn’t help but smile at how Nick so casually said ‘we’, like it was just a given that he’d help Zak.   
“I’m glad you don’t think I’m crazy.” Zak chuckled. “I wasn’t sure what you were gonna think.”  
“No way, man. This stuff if for real.” Nick said seriously.  
“Have you ever had any experiences?” Zak asked.  
“Yeah, I have.” Nick nodded. “Nothing like yours, but enough for me to know that you’re not crazy. There’s something out there; ghosts, spirits, whatever you want to call them. They’re real.”   
Relief washed over Zak at Nick’s words. He hadn’t shared his experience with many of his friends. The ones he had talked to tried to convince him that he was dreaming or that his imagination was running wild. It felt so good to have Nick believe him.  
“Everyone always tells me I’m imagining things.” Zak said. And there was something sad behind it that Nick didn’t fully understand.   
“Well, fuck them!” Nick said. The words flew out of his mouth before he could mentally edit them. “Only you know what you saw and what you felt. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”   
He wasn’t sure where the sudden burst of emotion had come from, but he needed Zak to know that his feelings were valid no matter what anyone else thought.  
“Yeah…” Zak nodded. “You’re right. I just wish there was a way to show people, you know? A way for other people having experiences to know that they’re not alone. That they’re not crazy.”  
“We could capture it on camera.” Nick said. It felt like a light bulb had gone off over his head. This was it. This was the project he’d been looking for. “Zak, we could make a documentary.”  
“Are you serious?” Zak asked, but excitement was already bubbling in his stomach at the idea.   
“Yeah, why not?” Nick asked excitedly. “I’m looking for a film project, you’re looking for something new. We could really do this. We could capture _undeniable_ evidence. I mean, think of all the people we could help.”   
Nick’s eyes glowed with the possibility and Zak had to admit that having a project to focus on sounded pretty appealing. Especially one meant spending more time with Nick.   
“You really think we can do this? Actually capture paranormal activity on camera?” Zak asked, feeling the thrill of it run through his blood.   
“I know I’ve got a camera and nothing but time.” Nick said seriously. “It might take a while, but I really think we can do it.”   
“Alright.” Zak grinned. “Let’s do it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm flying by the seat of my pants a little bit on this one. Just seeing where the characters take me. So far, I'm enjoying the ride! I hope you are too!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zak invites Nick over to his apartment for the first time so they can talk through ideas for their documentary.

Zak scrambled around, cleaning up his apartment. Nick was coming over to get the lay of the land. They wanted to talk through ideas for the documentary and it only made sense for Nick to actually _see_ Zak’s apartment. Only Zak didn’t want him to see it like _this_. It was messy and it had been awhile since he ran a vacuum over...well, anything.These days, when he had people over, they usually headed straight for the bedroom. But this was different. And even though Zak found himself more and more attracted to Nick, for once he was excited about just spending time with him. So he worked to push those other feelings to the side. Nick was just the kind of friend Zak was looking for. So if that was all they ever were, that would be enough for him.   
Excitement had bubbled in his chest from the moment he popped out of bed that morning. He finally had something to do, something to look forward to. It had been so long since he felt any real direction in his life and just the _prospect_ of this documentary already had him feeling more alive than he could remember ever having felt. And he had Nick to thank.   
The doorbell rang and he quickly shoved a handful of discarded clothes into the closet. He checked his hair as he made his way to the door, straightening out the pieces that had fallen out of formation.  
“Hello?” He said into the intercom.   
“It’s me!” Nick’s voice came through. And Zak could hear the excitement in it.   
“Come on up! Second floor on the right.” Zak said before buzzing him up.   
He spotted a pile of candy wrappers on the coffee table. He quickly ran over, scooping them up and throwing them into the garbage. He took a moment to survey the apartment. This was as good as it was gonna get. He unlocked the door, swinging it open right as Nick rounded the corner lugging an armful of bags..   
“Hey, man!” Zak said brightly. “Let me help you with that.”   
“Thanks.” Nick said, handing over the camera bag and hiking up the larger bag on his shoulder.   
“What’s all that?” Zak asked.   
“I brought my computer, a light kit and some extension cords and stuff.” Nick said.  
“Woah. You’re prepared!” Zak said, leading Nick into the living room.   
“Yeah, well I figured I was gonna bring stuff over here at some point anyway...and this way if something happens, we’ll be ready.”   
“Good thinking!” Zak said, happy to see Nick was as excited about this documentary as he was. “Well, make yourself comfortable. Can I get you something to drink?”  
“Sure, some water would be great.” Nick said, flopping down on the couch. “Your place is huge.” he added as Zak made his way into the kitchen.   
“Yeah, I guess that’s the perk of living in a haunted apartment. The rent is super cheap.” he chuckled.  
“I guess so!” Nick laughed. “So how long have you been here anyway?”  
“Umm...let’s see. About three years?” Zak said, handing a bottle of water to Nick before taking a seat next to him.”  
“Man...and this started a couple months after you moved in? I don’t know how you handle it.”  
“Yeah, well at first I wanted to move out right away. But I started looking for places and I just really didn’t have the money. I was new to Vegas and trying to make it on my own. So I stayed.” Zak said with a shrug. “For the first couple of months it sucked. I was scared all the time and I couldn’t sleep. But eventually, I got used to her. I had to.”  
“What about finding a couple roommates or something?” Nick asked.   
“What, you wanna move in?” Zak grinned.   
Nick laughed nervously, he hadn’t meant to imply that. He felt his skin go warm at the misunderstanding.  
“No, I meant why didn’t you move out of _here_ and get a different place with some other roommates?” He clarified.   
“Oh.” Zak said with a chuckle. “I didn’t really know anyone yet. No one I wanted to live with at least. I’ve never been great at sharing my space.”   
“You must have been _real_ excited when I showed up with all these bags then.” Nick laughed.   
“Actually, I was.” Zak said earnestly. He let it hang in the air for the moment, just wanting to see the younger man’s reaction. A slight blush made its way to Nick’s cheeks and Zak smiled happily. “I’m really excited about this documentary. It’s the most excited I’ve been about anything in...I don’t know how long.”  
“Me too.” Nick said, smile spreading across his face. He couldn’t help but feel like this was the start of an exciting chapter in his life.   
“So what do we do first?” Zak asked, feeling ready to dive right in.   
“I think we need to figure out our end goal here. We gotta decide what we want our message to be. Is it just to capture paranormal activity on camera? Or are we trying to help this ghost cross over? And who’s the target audience? Are we making this to prove something to skeptics? Or is it more than that?” Nick felt the words pouring out of him and he stopped to take a breath. He didn’t want to seem like he was trying to take over. “So, what do you think?”  
“We can’t make it for the skeptics.” Zak said resolutely. “It’s not for them. It’s for the people who have seen things they can’t explain. People like you and me. Maybe we can get them the answers they’ve been looking for. And if the skeptics see it and it changes their perspective, then that’s the icing on top.”  
“I couldn’t agree more.” Nick said, nodding his head in approval. “I was thinking about it last night and I really want this to be _about_ something. I want to help people, not just capture evidence. I mean, when I think about how people didn’t believe you when you told them what you saw...I want to make sure that doesn’t happen again, to you or anyone else.”   
It was more than he had meant to say, but he found himself feeling protective of his friendship with Zak. In the past month and a half, the older man had become a really close friend and Nick protected his friends.  
“Thanks.” Zak said with a soft smile. It was quiet for a moment while he tried hard not to blush. “You know, you never told me what you experienced.” Zak said, diverting the attention from himself.   
“Well, it’s nothing compared to yours.” Nick admitted. “It happened when I was a kid. There was something in my house. It’s hard to explain because it wasn’t a person, it was more like a black shadowy mist. But it stood tall like a person. Anyway, the first time I saw it, I was coming home from school and it was just standing in the doorway and I froze. I usually got home a couple hours before my parents, so I knew no one was inside the house. And this wasn’t a person. So I ran to my buddy’s house and stayed there until I was sure they were home. I never even told them what I saw.” he said with a chuckle. “I didn’t know how to explain it and I thought if I talked about it, I was giving it power over me and I didn’t want to do that.”  
“Smart kid.” Zak said with a smile. “But you saw it again?”   
“A couple more times. But it never did anything. It would just appear and I would run away or hide until it was gone.” Nick shrugged.  
“That must have been scary.” Zak said. He was an adult and seeing the apparition in his apartment had terrified him to his core. He couldn’t imagine handling that as a child.   
“Yeah, it was…” Nick nodded. “But it was also kind of exciting too.” he added with a smirk.   
“Have you always been such a thrill-seeker?” Zak asked with a chuckle.   
“Yep!” Nick laughed.   
“Your poor parents.” Zak said, shaking his head.   
“I kept ‘em busy.” Nick laughed. Truthfully, he was a bit of a terror growing up. He’d had more than one broken bone and more stitches than he could count.   
“Yeah, I’m sure you did.” Zak said. It was easy to imagine Nick as a kid, bouncing off the walls, excited about life and always looking for the next adventure. All the same qualities Zak found himself gravitating toward now.   
“What about you? What were you like as a kid?” Nick asked with a curious smile.  
“Let’s just say I don’t think we’d be friends if we’d met as kids.” Zak chuckled.   
“Too cool for me?” Nick smiled.  
“No. The opposite actually. I was a pretty dorky kid. Really quiet too. I got picked on a lot, didn’t really have many friends.” Zak said with a shrug. He didn’t talk to many people about his childhood. It was a lonely time that he didn’t enjoy reliving.   
“Kids suck.” Nick said, shaking his head.   
“Yeah, they do.” Zak agreed.   
“I still think we would have been friends though.” Nick insisted.  
“Oh yeah, how do you figure?” Zak asked with a grin.  
“I consider myself a pretty good judge of character and I know I would have liked you. And I’m not shy. I think I could have gotten you out of your shell.” Nick said with a sly grin.  
“Oh yeah, you think so?” Zak asked playfully. It almost felt like Nick was _flirting_. But he couldn’t be.  
“Yep.” Nick said simply. “ Plus I could have kicked those bullies’ asses for you.” He added with a smirk.   
“You would have been good to have around back then.” Zak said, feeling his skin go warm. This protective side of Nick was intriguing and sexy and Zak couldn't help but feel attracted to him. He swallowed thickly, reminding himself that as far as he knew, Nick was straight. The younger man had given no indication otherwise and Zak needed to _get it together_ before he let this crush take over. Nick was a friend. A _really good_ friend. And Zak needed that in his life. He wasn't gonna screw this up.   
“Okay, so what’s next?” Zak asked, trying to take his mind off Nick’s eyes and the mischievous sparkle in them that made his heart pound. “Are we set on equipment?”  
Nick couldn’t help but notice Zak’s walls go up. It seemed to happen whenever he opened up about something; a reflex whenever he felt vulnerable. Nick added this conversation to his growing mental list of sore subjects.   
“Well, I’ve got a camera, the light kit...my computer has an editing program so we’re all set on that. I’m assuming you have a recorder we can use?”  
“Oh yeah, for sure. The one I have has a pretty decent microphone too. Should be able to pick up all kinds of stuff.”   
“Perfect. So I think we’re okay on equipment, right?” Nick asked, thinking through what else they could possibly need.   
“I think so.” Zak agreed. “What else?”  
“Well, it would be good to see the rest of the apartment. That way we can start thinking about where we want to set up shots.” Nick suggested.   
“Oh yeah, come on. I’ll give you the grand tour.” Zak said, popping up off the couch. He needed to put a little distance between himself and Nick, just until he could get his heart rate under control. “Well, this is obviously the living room. I haven’t had anything weird happen to me out here. Then through here is the bathroom. I’ve had a couple guests get scratched in here, but I’ve never seen or felt anything myself.”  
“It would probably be worth setting up in here at some point.” Nick said. “See if we can get anything. I could even come in here alone since she doesn’t seem to bother you.”  
“Yeah, that’s a good idea.” Zak agreed.   
“Might be kind of echo-y…” Nick thought out loud. “It’s not gonna sound great.”  
“Nick, this is a documentary. Not everything can look and sound as perfect as your other films.” Zak teased. “This is gonna be imperfect. But it’s gonna be raw and real.”  
“I know, I know.” Nick smiled. “But it can still look and sound as good as possible.”  
“We’ll make it work, Nick.” Zak encouraged. “Don’t worry so much.”  
“I just want this to be good.” Nick said seriously. “It’s gonna be a lot of hard work and I want to make sure that when it’s done, it’s something we can both be proud of.”  
“Yeah, me too.” Zak smiled. “It’s gonna be great.” he said, patting Nick on the shoulder. “Come on, let me show you the rest of the apartment.”  
Zak led the way, feeling nerves bubble up in his stomach as he made his way down the hall. He knew it was stupid. He was just showing Nick a room in his apartment. But it felt so personal. And the realization hit that soon, they would be spending a lot of time together in his bedroom. _In the dark._  
“So, this is my room…” Zak said awkwardly, wishing he’d spent a little more time making the bed.  
“So this is where the magic happens.” Nick said approvingly.   
A shocked laugh escaped Zak before he could stop himself.   
“Oh God.” Nick gasped, realizing how that must have sounded. “I meant...the ghost. This is where you see the ghost.” he stammered, feeling his face burn hot.   
Zak burst out laughing as Nick tried to redeem himself. He was cute when he was embarrassed.   
“Shut up, dude. That’s not what I meant!” Nick said, playfully shoving the still-laughing Zak.  
“Hey, don’t be embarrassed. You’re not wrong about the magic. I’ve certainly never had any complaints in here.” Zak said with a cocky grin.  
Nick felt his mouth go dry as Zak’s eyes met his. The smirk on the older man’s face made Nick feel unsettled. He didn't like thinking about what went on in here between Zak and his ‘guests’ as he insisted on calling them. This whole thing made him feel uneasy. He broke eye contact, quickly clearing his throat.   
“I really didn’t need to know that.” He said with a nervous chuckle. “Moving on…” he said, desperate to change the subject.   
Zak smiled to himself as Nick avoided eye contact. The younger man was flustered and Zak hoped he hadn’t made him too uncomfortable.   
“Moving on.” Zak agreed. “So, this is where I see her.” He said, making his way to the edge of the bed. “Always on this side. It’s only more recently that she’s started moving closer and touching me and stuff.”  
“And that started after you captured her voice?” Nick asked.  
“Exactly. It’s like I got through to her somehow, you know?  
“Yeah. Man, I really hope she's willing to talk to us some more. Capturing something like that would be amazing.” Nick said.  
“I really hope she’ll show herself for the camera.” Zak said. “She’s pretty shy. So far I'm the only one who’s actually seen her.”  
“But I thought you said she pulled one of your… lady friends out of the bed?” Nick asked.  
“I said she pulled one of my _guests_ out of the bed.” Zak corrected him, feeling his heart jump into his throat. “I never said it was a ‘ _lady_ friend’.” He paused for a second, letting it sink in. “And anyway, he didn't see anything. He just woke up being pulled out of the bed by something. I was sleeping but I assumed it was her.”  
Nick stood quietly, shock playing across his face. Zak hadn't been sure how to tell him, or if he even needed to, but the opportunity presented itself and he figured there was no point in _hiding_ it.  
“You alive over there?” Zak asked after a few more moments of shocked silence.   
“What? Sorry. Yes.” Nick said, obviously flustered. He was having a hard time wrapping his mind around this new information. “I just thought...at the party, you were hitting on that woman.”   
“That's the thing about bisexual people, Nick. We get to bat for both teams.” Zak chuckled nervously.   
“Of course!” Nick said, feeling embarrassed. “Shit, I didn't mean...I just didn't know. Sorry.”  
“Well, I didn’t tell you.” Zak shrugged. “But it came up, so I figured might as well. It doesn’t make you uncomfortable, does it?” He asked.   
“No!” Nick said immediately. Although he wasn’t sure that was entirely the truth. He didn’t consider himself to be a homophobic person. As far as he was concerned, people loved who they loved, simple as that. But for whatever reason, this news had his insides twisting.   
“Because I’d hate if this changed anything...I really value our friendship, Nick.” Zak said sincerely.   
“I do too.” Nick agreed. And he did. He didn’t understand why he’d reacted the way he had, but he knew that he couldn’t let it ruin his friendship with Zak. “This doesn’t change anything, man.” he said, with a reassuring pat to Zak’s shoulder.   
“Ok, good.” Zak smiled back happily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was NOT planning on having Zak come out to Nick so quickly. That just sort of happened... I'm excited to see how this changes where I thought the story was going!
> 
> Hope you guys are enjoying it so far!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zak and Nick begin production on their documentary.

Nick made his way up the stairs to Zak’s apartment. Tonight was the night they started production. He knew he should be more excited, but part of him was dreading it. It had been a few days since he’d seen or talked to Zak with the exception of a few text exchanges. It was always easier to fake normalcy via text. The truth was he was still feeling a little shaken up about Zak’s news. For the life of him, he couldn’t figure out why it bothered him so much. So Zak slept with guys. So what? He slept with girls too and that didn’t bother him. Not that he _wanted_ to think about it, but it seemed like a given. Zak was a handsome guy, so Nick figured he was sleeping with _somebody_. He just assumed that somebody was a woman. Whatever his issue was, he needed to just get over it. They had work to do.   
Zak met Nick at the door with a huge grin on his face. He was excited and it was contagious.   
“Dude, are you ready for this?” Zak asked, squeezing Nick’s shoulder excitedly.  
“Yeah man, born ready.” Nick said, feeling his face spread into a smile.   
He followed Zak into the apartment, feeling a bit more relaxed already. He knew once they started filming he could just get lost in the project and not focus so much on who Zak was or wasn’t sleeping with at the moment.   
“Dude, I’ve been so anxious all day waiting for the sun to set already!” Zak laughed. “I seriously can’t wait to get started.”  
“I know, me either.” Nick agreed. “How’s the activity been the past few days?”  
“I saw her again last night.” Zak said. “She didn’t touch me or anything. She just stood at the foot of my bed watching me. I didn’t try to talk to her. I was worried about using up her energy before we had the cameras rolling. I really hope she shows herself again tonight.”  
“Me too man. But I’ll be happy if we just capture _something_ tonight.” Nick said. “Otherwise we’re just two dudes, sitting in the dark talking to ourselves.”  
“True!” Zak laughed. “God, that would be sad.”  
“Yeah, it would!” Nick chuckled.   
“So, do you need anything before we get started? Hungry? Thirsty?”   
“No, let’s just get going.” Nick said.. “I’ll get the camera set up. You wanna make sure all the electronics are unplugged and the AC is off?  
“Good thinking.” Zak said.   
A little while later, the apartment was pitch black. They’d drawn all the shades and blacked out any areas where light was coming in. Nick stood in the threshold of Zak’s bedroom door, camera propped on his shoulder. Zak sat on the edge of the bed waiting for Nick’s cue.   
“Ok, I think we’re all set.” Nick said. “Why don’t you start kind of explaining what we’re doing before you jump into it?”  
“Yeah, sounds good.” Zak nodded. “You gonna come in? Or are you gonna shoot the whole thing from the doorway?” He asked with a chuckle, but the truth was he was feeling a little creeped out and he wouldn’t mind it if Nick were a little closer.   
“Oh, I thought I could get a wider shot this way.” Nick said. But the truth was he needed a minute to ease into the idea of being with Zak in his dark bedroom.   
“Oh...okay. But if she does show up, you’re gonna be shooting her from behind.” Zak reasoned. And Nick could see the look of confusion on his face through the monitor of his camera.   
“Oh, right.” Nick chuckled awkwardly. He walked into the room, stopping at the edge of the bed opposite of where Zak sat, setting up a shot that he had to admit was better than the doorway.   
“You could sit down if you want?” Zak said with a shrug.  
“Oh, that’s okay.” Nick said quickly. “It’s easier to stabilize the camera this way.”  
“Okay.” Zak said. “Just tell me when you’re ready for me.”  
Nick checked the focus one more time, satisfied with the shot.   
“Alright. I’m recording. Whenever you’re ready.” He said, feeling a little bubble of excitement.   
“Here we go!” Zak said, holding his fist out toward the younger man. Nick smiled, leaning in to bump their fists together.   
“Here we go!” he said, feeling himself relax.

A couple hours later, Nick plopped down on the edge of the bed feeling defeated. He knew this wasn’t going to be easy, but he had hoped they would have gotten _something_ by now.  
“This sucks, dude.” Zak said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I can’t believe we haven’t gotten anything yet.”  
“I know.” Nick said, rubbing his eyes. He was starting to get tired already and they still had a few more hours until the sun came up. “What do you wanna do? Should we try something else?”  
“Yeah. I can’t keep doing this for another three hours.” Zak said, feeling frustrated. “What can we try?”  
“Well, I’m wondering if maybe she’s put off by the camera? What if I set it up on the tripod and we try it that way? We could break out your recorder and see if we can get any EVP?” Nick suggested.   
“I’ll try anything at this point.” Zak chuckled.   
“Ok, let’s do it.” Nick said, standing from the bed to set up the tripod in the corner.   
“I’ll go grab my recorder.” Zak said, using his cell phone light to guide his way out of the room.   
Nick clicked the camera into place, checking to make sure the focus was still set when he felt something brush up against his arm. He jumped, turning to see if he’d bumped up against anything, but he hadn’t. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, shining the light around the room but he didn’t see anything. He released the breath he’d been holding, ready to assume he’d just imagined it when he felt it again. But this time it felt more like a scratch down the back of his arm.   
“Ow, fuck!” he said, jumping again. He whipped around, expecting to see someone behind him. But again there was nothing. “Hello?” he said, taking the camera off the tripod and sweeping across the room.  
“I’m just grabbing my recorder!” he heard Zak call from across the apartment.   
“Zak, get in here!” Nick yelled. And there was definite fear in his voice. He was suddenly very aware of how alone he was. And the back of his arm stung like hell.  
“What? What’s wrong?” Zak said as he came barreling around the corner.  
“Something just...my arm. Zak, what’s on my arm?” Nick stammered.   
He was panicking and Zak knew he needed to calm him down.  
“Lemme see.” He said, shining his cell phone light on the younger man. He locked eyes with Nick. The younger man’s face was awash with fear. And it didn’t take long for Zak to see why. “Shit Nick. What happened?”   
There was a long, raised scratch down the length of Nick’s arm. Zak pushed the sleeve of his t-shirt up to see that it ran from his shoulder blade to his elbow. It was an angry red, but not bleeding from what Zak could tell.   
“I don’t...I don’t know. Film it, Zak.” Nick said, handing the camera to the older man.   
Zak propped the camera on his shoulder, his other hand holding the sleeve of Nick’s shirt up.   
“Nick, tell me what happened.” He said in his most calming voice.   
“I was just putting the camera on the tripod.” Nick said, clearing his throat as his voice wavered a bit. “I felt something brush up against me, but I looked and didn’t see anything. So I turned my attention back to the tripod and I felt this burning sensation down the back of my arm. Zak, what is it? Am I bleeding?”  
“No. You’re not bleeding.” Zak said calmly. “It looks like you got a pretty good scratch though. You sure you didn’t bump up against something?” He asked. But he knew very well that he hadn’t.  
“No, I was standing right here.” Nick said, feeling defensive. “There’s nothing to bump up against.”  
“Okay, I believe you.” Zak said. “I just wanted to make sure. Are you okay? You wanna stop for tonight?”  
Nick took deep breaths, working to slow his heart.   
“No, I’m good. Let’s keep going.” he said.  
“Are you sure, Nick?” Zak asked. He was worried. The scratch looked painful and he was afraid of what might happen if they kept pushing it.  
“I’m sure.” Nick said confidently. “This is what we’re looking for, right? We can’t stop now.”  
“Adrenaline junkie.” Zak said with a smirk, hoping to lighten the mood.   
Nick laughed and Zak squeezed his shoulder lightly before setting the camera back up on the tripod. He grabbed the recorder from his pocket, moving toward the bed and sitting back comfortably against the headboard. Nick followed, sitting down stiffly at the edge of the bed.   
Zak smiled to himself. Nick could _not_ be comfortable sitting like that, body twisted so both feet were firmly on the floor.   
“I don’t bite, Nick.” he said, leaning over and patting the bed next to him. “Not unless you ask me to.”  
Nick felt heat rush to his face. He was suddenly very grateful for the lack of light in the room. He could hardly make out Zak’s form on the bed, but he could hear the smirk in his voice and he knew what it looked like. A second wave of heat rushed over his body as he tried his best to make his mouth form words.   
“I’ve already been scratched tonight, so I think I’ll skip the biting, thanks.” He said. And he was pleased to hear how casual he sounded.   
He scooted up the bed, leaning against the headboard. He could feel the heat from Zak’s body only inches from his as he settled in.   
“That’s better.” Zak said with a smile. “Ok, I’m gonna hit record. You ready?”  
“Yep.”   
Zak hit record, holding the device completely still.   
“Zak’s bedroom. Nick and I are spooning in my bed.” Zak joked, unable to stop himself.   
“Dude…” Nick said, smacking his hand out into the dark. He was pleased when he felt what could only be Zak’s chest connect with his hand.  
“Ow!” Zak laughed. “Fine. We’re laying next to each other in a very heterosexual manner.”  
Nick rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t keep from laughing. Joking about it made him feel so much better.   
“Nick, please. I’m trying to conduct a recording here.” Zak teased.   
“Sorry, sorry, sorry.” he said, biting his lips to keep from laughing.   
A smile spread across Zak’s face. Nick’s laugh was quickly becoming one of his favorite sounds. He gave Nick a minute to settle, enjoying the muffled laughter in the dark and the way the bed shook softly beneath him.   
“Okay, sorry. I’m ready.” Nick said after a few moments.  
“Okay, here we go.” Zak said, holding the recorder out again. “Zak and Nick, Zak’s bedroom. Is there someone here with us?” Zak asked, waiting a moment before he spoke again. “Did you scratch Nick?...Are you the woman I see at the end of my bed?...Please, we just want to talk to you.”   
“Okay, let’s check it.” Nick said.  
Zak reset the recording, bringing the recorder up between them. He leaned in, feeling Nick’s shoulder lean in against his. He pressed play, trying his best to concentrate as the smell of the younger man’s cologne filled the air. Nick laughed again as they replayed the first recording. The sound pulled Zak from his haze and he chuckled softly. The second recording began to play and both men fell silent as they listened.   
Is there someone here with us?”...“Did you scratch Nick?...”  
“Wait, wait, rewind that. I could have swore I heard something.” Nick said.   
“Okay.” Zak said, rewinding a few seconds and playing the recording again.  
Is there someone here with us?”...“Did you scratch Nick?...  
“Right there!” Nick said.  
Zak heard it too this time. It was a quiet. Zak might not have noticed it if Nick hadn’t pointed it out. He rewound the recording again, turning the volume up all the way. They huddled in close together as they listened.   
Is there someone here with us?”...“Did you scratch Nick?...  
I want...him out.  
The voice was quiet, and spoke quickly, but Nick was pretty sure he’d heard it right.   
“Dude, I think it said, ‘I want him out.’” He felt chills as goosebumps rose up on his arms.   
“Yeah, man. That’s what I heard too.” Zak said. “That’s fuckin’ creepy.”  
“Yeah it is!” Nick said excitedly. “Hurry up, let’s keep going while she’s feeling talkative.”   
Zak half expected Nick to want to stop after what was clearly a warning. But instead, the younger man practically oozed adrenaline.   
“You sure?” Zak asked. He was excited too and if Nick wanted to keep going, Zak wasn’t gonna argue. But Zak also wasn’t the one getting scratched.   
“Positive, dude. I wanna talk this time.” he said, fumbling for the recorder in the dark.   
Zak handed it over, smiling at the younger man’s eagerness. Nick held the recorder up, pressing record.  
“Do you want me to leave?... What will you do if I don’t go?... Why do you bother Zak all the time?... Why do you hurt his...friends?” Nick paused, awkwardly. He wished he hadn’t said ‘friends’, but he didn’t know what else to say. “Okay, I’m gonna rewind it.”   
“Friends?” Zak said with a chuckle.  
Nick’s face burned hot with embarrassment.   
“Sorry, I didn’t know if you would want that in the documentary or not.” Nick said. But the truth was, he had no idea how to refer to the people Zak slept with. And he really didn’t want to refer to them at all if he could help it.   
“And by 'that' you mean…?” Zak asked, letting Nick squirm a little bit.   
“Your...sexual...encounters?” Nick said awkwardly. He wanted to crawl under a rock and _die_. He was not this dense about sexuality. But he was coming off sounding like an idiot.  
“You mean with men?” Zak asked.   
“Not that it’s a bad thing.” Nick cut in. “I don’t mean it like that. I just didn’t know if you were like, _out_. You know?”  
Zak smiled to himself, glad that it was dark. He liked letting Nick squirm a little bit. He wasn’t mad, he understood Nick’s intentions and they were noble. But he was having too much fun messing with the younger man.   
“Well, I told _you_ , didn’t I?” Zak asked.   
“Well, yeah.” Nick said. “But we’re like...I mean, I consider you a close friend.” He paused, suddenly worrying that Zak meant more to him than he meant to Zak. “I just didn’t know if you had told people, that’s all. Sorry.”   
A chuckled escaped Zak’s lips. He could practically feel Nick blushing. The poor guy was so uncomfortable and Zak felt a tiny bit guilty about it.   
“Don’t worry about it, bro. I’m just messing with you.” he said, bumping shoulders with Nick.   
Nick deflated, dropping his head into his hands as relief washed over him. He chuckled softly, happy that even though he’d made an ass of himself, Zak didn’t seem to be offended.  
“Sorry, man. I just blanked and ‘friends’ was the first word that came to mind.” he said.   
“Well, let’s not call them ‘friends’. _You’re my friend._ I barely know them at all. Let’s just refer to them as my ‘guests’.” He said. “Nice and vague.” he added with a smile.  
“Yeah, okay. Sounds good.” Nick agreed, happy to have that figured out.   
“Should we listen to the recording?” Zak asked.   
“Okay.” Nick agreed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The TENSION. It's my favorite! Hope you guys are enjoying the story so far! 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After long nights of filming, Zak and Nick head to a local diner for early morning breakfast.   
> (And other stuff happens too. I hate doing summaries sometimes.)

“Dude, I’m beat.” Nick said as he broke down the tripod. It had been a long night of filming and they didn’t have much to show for it. They’d been in production for a little over a week and had gotten a few good EVPs and not much else.   
“Me too” Zak said, flopping down on the couch. “These late nights are a killer.”  
“More like early mornings.” Nick said with a tired laugh. The sun was peeking over the horizon and he couldn’t _believe_ he had to work in a few hours.   
“True.” Zak said, rubbing his eyes. “Speaking of which…breakfast?”   
“Yeah, I’m starving.” Nick said. His stomach had been growling for the past hour.   
“Okay, let’s go then.” Zak said, heaving himself off the couch. He took a moment to stretch, feeling little pops and cracks all over his tired body. “You ready?”   
“Yep.” Nick said with a quiet yawn.  
They walked toward the diner in comfortable silence. This had become something of a tradition, finishing off their nights of filming with breakfast together at a hole-in-the-wall diner down the block. Zak found himself looking forward to these quiet moments with Nick. The diner was usually pretty empty with the exception of one or two early risers. And he and Nick could just spend time talking and laughing together.   
They took a seat at their usual booth, happily accepting the two steaming cups of coffee already waiting for them.   
“You boys look like hell.” The waitress said. She was an older woman with bright red lips. She wore her hair tied up high on her head, likely a style she’d been wearing since the 70’s. “Do you two ever sleep?”   
Zak and Nick chuckled at her unfiltered brassiness. Nancy had waited on them every morning for the past week and a half and had quickly grown on them.   
“We’ll sleep when we’re dead.” Nick said with a grin.  
“With the way you look, honey, you won’t have to wait long!” Nancy said, “The usual, I’m assuming?” she asked, shuffling away before either man could answer.   
Nick rolled his eyes and Zak shook his head, but both of them chuckled as Nancy made her way to the kitchen to place their orders.   
“She’s somethin’ else.” Zak said, still chuckling.   
“Yeah she is…” Nick agreed, stirring cream and sugar into his coffee. “I like her. She reminds me of my grandma.”  
“Does your grandma insult you a lot?” Zak asked with a laugh.  
“Only when I deserve it.” Nick chuckled. “Well, she used to at least. She passed away a couple years ago.”   
“Oh shit, I’m sorry.” Zak said, wishing he hadn’t joked about it.   
“No worries. It was her time. She lived a full life.” Nick said with a shrug. “But she was awesome. She’s actually the one who got me interested in all this stuff.”   
“The paranormal?”   
“The paranormal, aliens, bigfoot...you name it, we talked about it. She was a really curious woman, she had lots of theories about life and death. You would have liked her.”   
“I’m sure I would have.” Zak said with a smile. “I bet she would have been excited about you working on this documentary.”  
Nick smiled. He hadn’t really thought about that before.   
“Yeah, I think she would have. She probably would have loved to join us, actually.”  
“That would have been awesome.” Zak said. “I can’t imagine my grandparents ever getting involved in something like this. They’d probably think I was crazy.”  
Nick couldn’t help but notice the sadness in Zak’s voice and how it caused a visceral, protective reaction in him. Nick had always felt the need to protect his friends and family, but something about Zak’s vulnerability really struck a chord with him.   
“Have you ever talked to your family about your experiences?” Nick asked curiously.   
“I mentioned it to my mom.” he said with a shrug. “She wanted me to go to a sleep clinic. She thinks I have sleep paralysis.”  
“Oh.” Nick remembered how close Zak said he was with his mom and even _she_ didn’t believe him. “Well, I know we said this film wasn’t for the skeptics...but I bet you that when we show them, they’re gonna wish they’d believed you.”  
A warm smile spread across Zak’s face. Nick had a way of making everything feel better.   
“I hope you’re right about that.” Zak said sincerely.   
“You’ll see.” Nick said with a reassuring nod.   
Nancy made her way to the table, a heaping plate in either hand.   
“I’ve got the hash with eggs, over easy for Thing One.” she said, sliding the first plate toward Nick. “And two eggs with hashbrowns and a side of sausage for Thing Two.” She said, plopping the other plate in front of Zak. “You boys need anything else?  
“Um, yeah. Some hot sauce-”   
“Good. Holler when you’re ready for the check.” She said, turning to walk away.   
“I guess no hot sauce for you today.” Zak said with a laugh.   
“Yeah, I guess not!” Nick chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. 

Zak stood close to Nick in the dark. He could hear the younger man’s steady breathing next to him and could just barely make out the digital recorder in his hand.   
“Okay, we get it. You want me to get out. You’ve told us that. We hear you. But I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying right here.” Nick said in a steady voice. “We want to talk to you. Why are you here?” He paused, holding the recorder steady. “Did you used to live here?...Did you die here?”  
Nick felt the hairs on his arms begin to prickle. It was a feeling he knew well. It had happened every time he had witnessed anything paranormal. It had happened right before he’d gotten scratched.   
“Zak, I’m feeling something…” he said, trying to keep his voice under control.   
“Me too.” Zak said, moving a step closer. “I just got the chills so bad, man.”  
“That’s exactly what I’m feeling! Is that you?” he asked, still holding the recorder out in front of him. “Do you want to talk with us?”  
A noise startled him, and his eyes shifted over to the spot it had come from.  
“Did you hear that?” He asked Zak.  
“Dude...that was my bed.” Zak said, feeling his voice catch in his throat. “That was the sound of my bed springs, I swear!”  
“Are you sitting on Zak’s bed?” Nick asked, taking a step toward the foot of the bed. “Are you making yourself at home?...Can I sit down next to you?” He asked, making his way over.   
“Nick…” Zak said cautiously. “Be careful, man.”  
“It’s okay.” he said, stepping closer. “Do you want me to sit down? If you don’t, then do something to stop me.”  
“Nick…” Zak tried again. He didn’t think this was a good idea. They’d gotten numerous threatening EVPs, all directed at Nick and he didn’t want the younger man getting hurt again.   
“I’m just gonna sit down.” He said, slowly lowering onto the bed. He half expected another scratch, even braced for it as he settled down. “Why don’t you like me?” He asked.   
Zak moved behind the tripod so he could watch Nick through the monitor. He felt his heart beating in his ears as he looked on.   
“Are you...do you...um…” Nick fumbled over his words. He felt like his head was swirling. He couldn’t remember what he was going to ask. He felt dizzy as a chill filled the air around him. He lowered his head into his hands, resting his elbows on his legs. He didn’t feel right. His stomach was in his throat as he felt a cold sweat run down his back.  
“Nick? Are you okay?” He heard Zak’s voice call out from across the room.   
“I don’t know. I just…” He couldn’t find his words. His hair stood on end and he felt a wave of nausea roll over him.   
“Nick.” He heard Zak’s voice again, but much closer this time. “Come on buddy, let’s get you out of here.”   
Nick was wobbly and unresponsive and Zak wasn’t sure what to do. He hefted the younger man up, throwing an arm around his waist to support him. He didn’t know what was wrong, but he was scared. He needed to get him out of the apartment _now_. As he made his way to the bedroom door, a loud crash behind him made him jump out of his skin. He cursed as he turned to see what had made the sound. He could just barely make out the shape of his bedside lamp. It had been knocked off the table and lay broken on the floor.   
“Zak?” Nick said, weakly.  
“It’s okay, Nick. I’m gonna get you outside.” Zak said, reassuringly. But he worried Nick could feel the way his heart pounded in his chest.  
“No.” Nick protested, starting to come back from whatever it was he had just experienced. Nausea coursed through his body and he didn’t think he was going to make it down the stairs. “I think I’m gonna be sick.”  
“Okay.” Zak said. He didn’t do well with vomit, but he pulled Nick in tight, as he quickly led the way toward the bathroom.  
Nick pulled out of Zak’s grip, dropping to his knees as soon as they reached the toilet. He didn’t get sick often, and never quite as violently as this. He heaved over the toilet bowl, wishing Zak wasn’t listening but thankful to have him nearby.   
“Sorry.” He managed between heaves, spitting into the toilet. The taste of his own bile making him sick.   
“Are you okay?” Zak asked. Nick could tell from the tone of his voice that he was worried.   
“I think so.” Nick said, moving slowly to sit against the bathtub.   
Zak pulled a water bottle from his back pocket, crouching down to hand it to the younger man.  
“Thanks.” he said, accepting it and taking a small sip to rinse his mouth.   
“Do you think it was something you ate?” Zak asked hopefully.  
“I seriously doubt it.” Nick said.  
“That’s what I was worried about.” Zak said. “Look, maybe this isn’t such a good idea. We don’t really know what we’re messing with.” He sat down on the ground across from Nick.   
“Do you wanna stop?” Nick asked. He really didn’t want to, but it _was_ Zak’s house. If he wanted to stop, then Nick wouldn’t argue.   
“Honestly...no. Not really. But I’m also not the one getting hurt here.” Zak said, looking Nick in the eyes seriously. “I’m just worried about you. That was really scary, Nick. ”  
Nick took another sip of water, feeling the warmth of Zak’s concerned eyes on him.   
“I’m sorry.” Nick said. “I’m okay though. And I don’t want to stop either. I really feel like we’re getting somewhere with this.”  
“If nothing else, we’ve shown that ghosts have the power to make you lose your lunch.” Zak joked.   
“Sorry, man.” Nick chuckled, putting a hand on his still-uneasy stomach. “That was pretty gross.”  
“It was _really_ gross.” Zak said. “I’m just glad you made it to the toilet. I was worried you were gonna puke all over me.”  
“Yeah, I kinda wish you hadn’t heard that.” Nick laughed.   
“Me too. But I did. And there’s no bouncing back from that..” Zak teased.  
“You’ll probably never look at me the same again.” Nick chuckled.   
“The illusion is shattered.” Zak said in mock seriousness.   
Nick grinned and Zak was happy to see the color returning to his face. He smiled back, as those brown eyes found his, sending warmth through his body. He worked to ignore the growing, nagging feeling that he was letting his feelings get away from him. Never in his life had he willingly stayed in the same room with someone while they vomited. And even now as the smell lingered in the air, he _wanted_ to be here. He wanted to be close to Nick; to comfort him, to make him laugh, to keep him _safe_. This wasn’t good. Nick was straight. There was no way this could end with anything other than disappointment. The thought twisted at Zak’s insides.   
This was new territory for him. He wasn’t used to caring about someone like this. He had friends and he had the people he slept with. They had always been two separate entities. But now he found himself laying in bed at night, wondering what it would be like to have Nick there with him. To sleep tangled together, feeling the heat of Nick’s skin on his. To wake up with Nick by his side, touching and kissing as the sun inched above the horizon. But that wouldn’t happen. It couldn’t. So there was no point in torturing himself with it.  
You good?” Nick asked, knocking his shoe against Zak’s and pulling the older man from his thoughts.  
“What? Oh yeah. Just tired.” Zak said dismissively.   
“Me too.” Nick agreed, pulling his phone out of his pocket to check the time. “It’s already 4:45. Let’s call it a night.” He pushed himself up off the floor. His legs were still a little shaky as he stood, but he was feeling much better than he had been.   
“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.” Zak agreed, standing up to join him. He didn’t want Nick to go. Not yet. “So, um… are you feeling better or still nauseous?”   
“I’m feeling good enough for breakfast if you’re not too tired.” Nick said with a hopeful glance. Breakfasts with Zak were quickly becoming one of his favorite things.   
“Nope, not too tired.” Zak said with a happy grin.   
“Good. You got an extra toothbrush?” Nick asked, for obvious reasons. “I’d like to brush my teeth before I eat.”  
“Sure, let me grab one.” Zak said, rifling through the linen closet.   
Nick caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. His face was pale, making the dark circles under his eyes stand out in contrast.   
“Ugh...I look like shit.” He said, pulling at his under eyes.  
“Well, when you do that…” Zak chuckled, handing Nick the toothbrush.  
“I mean it, look at me.” He said, standing to face Zak. “I look like I’ve aged ten years since we started filming.   
Zak took the invitation to drag his eyes over Nick’s face, starting from his full, pink lips and working his way up to the big, chocolate brown eyes that tortured him. Nick looked damn near perfect.   
“Nah.” Zak said, shaking his head. “You look alright to me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The thirst is REAL, you guys. Zak is falling hard and Nick still doesn't understand his own emotions. I've got them right where I want them...


	7. Chapter 7

Nick startled awake as his alarm went off. No, wait, not his alarm. It was still dark outside. He rolled over, noticing the light from his buzzing phone. Who the hell would be calling him in the middle of the night? He picked up the phone, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and saw Zak’s name displayed on the screen. He cleared his throat quickly before answering.   
“Zak?” he said, voice still thick with sleep.   
“Nick, I’m sorry for calling so late.” Zak said. He sounded flustered and Nick sat up against the headboard.  
“Don’t worry about it, what’s up?” Nick asked.   
“I was just...I’m sorry, can I come over?” Zak asked, sounding panicked.   
“Yeah, of course, man. Are you okay?” Nick asked. The tone of Zak’s voice had him worried. Something must have happened.   
“I’m okay. I just can’t be in that apartment right now.” he said, releasing a shaky breath.   
“Yeah, okay. Just grab your stuff and you can stay here.” Nick said.   
“Thanks, Nick.” Zak said, sounding relieved. “I’m...um...actually walking up your block right now.”   
“Good.” Nick said, detecting embarrassment in Zak’s tone. “I’ll see you in a minute.”  
“Okay. Thanks again.” Zak said, before hanging up.   
Nick climbed out of bed, making his way to the bathroom. He splashed some water on his face and swished some mouthwash before walking over to the window to watch for Zak. He saw the older man a few doors down. He walked quickly, hands shoved deep in the pockets of his mesh shorts. He looked chilly in only a t-shirt and flip flops and Nick wondered how quickly he’d left his house.   
He buzzed Zak up, not even waiting for the older man to ring the bell. He was too anxious to hear what had happened and to make sure Zak was okay. The older man rounded the staircase looking tired and shaken up. His hair stuck out in all directions, not styled into his usual precise fohawk.   
“Hey.” He said, looking embarrassed.   
“Hey man, get in here. You must be freezing.” Nick said, stepping back to let Zak pass. “Did you walk here?”  
Zak lived a couple miles away. Not _un-walkable_ , but in the middle of the night it seemed like an unusual choice.   
“Yeah…” Zak said. “I kinda left in a hurry and I didn’t have time to grab anything.” he said with a shrug.  
“Here, sit down.” Nick said, gesturing to the couch. “Can I get you something? Water? A sweater?”  
“You got any whiskey?” Zak asked.   
“Yeah, man. Sure.” Nick said, patting Zak on the shoulder and heading toward the bar cart. He was worried. Zak seemed seriously shaken up and he wanted to find a way to calm him down. He filled a glass with the amber liquid, walking back over to the couch and handing the glass to Zak. The older man accepted it with a grateful smile, taking a large gulp.   
“What happened, man?” Nick asked, unable to wait anymore.   
Zak took a deep breath, feeling himself finally beginning to relax a little bit. He took another drink, welcoming the warmth as it slid down his throat.   
“I don’t know...she just got aggressive.” Zak said, keeping his eyes on his hands.   
“Aggressive? How so?” Nick asked. The ghost had never _hurt_ Zak before and Nick felt anger bubble up in his stomach at the thought.  
“She was angry tonight, I could tell.” Zak said shakily. He could feel the fear rising up again as he talked.   
“Because of me.” Nick realized out loud. “I got her all stirred up the other night...shit.”  
“Nick...It’s fine.” Zak said dismissively. This was exactly why he’d hesitated before calling Nick. He knew the younger man would feel responsible, and he didn’t want that. But he was scared and cold and the thought of being near Nick won out.  
“Fuck...what happened?” Nick demanded. He needed to know exactly what he’d caused.   
“It wasn’t you, Nick. I provoked her.” Zak said. “She appeared at the end of my bed, and I provoked her.”  
“Why?” Nick asked, eyes wide. It was one thing to provoke with the two of them together and the camera’s rolling, and it was another thing to provoke a ghost completely alone and defenseless.   
“Because. Because I’m sick of living in fear!” Zak said wildly. “I’m sick of her controlling my life and hurting the people I...care about.” he said, biting back the words he couldn’t even admit to himself yet. “She doesn’t get to just do that and get away with it.”  
Zak was pissed, and Nick could understand why. He’d been dealing with this haunting for _years_ and he’d finally had enough. But Nick had been on the receiving end of this ghost’s wrath, and he didn’t like the idea of Zak taking matters into his own hands without Nick there to watch out for him.   
“What did you do?” Nick asked.  
“I told her not to mess with you anymore. I told her that you were my friend and you were gonna be around whether she liked it or not. And if she tried to hurt you again, I’d find a way to make her pay.”  
“Zak…” Nick groaned, pinching at the bridge of his nose. “Why would you...That’s not safe! Don’t do that kind of shit when I’m not there.”  
“I know. I just couldn’t help it, you know? I was pissed.” Zak shrugged. The truth was, he’d been waiting for a moment alone with her ever since she’d made Nick sick. “Anyway...she kinda kicked my ass.” he said with a humorless chuckle. Fear crept back up and he tried to swallow it down with another sip of whiskey.  
“What did she do?” Nick asked, subconsciously leaning forward.  
“It was weird...It was like she was pressing down on my chest. I felt like I couldn’t move and it was really hard to breath. I started feeling light-headed like I might pass out, you know? And then it stopped and I just laid there trying to catch my breath. And the next thing I know, I’m being dragged out of my bed. I didn’t even have time to react, it was so fast. And I slammed my head pretty good on the way down. So I just got the hell out of there and I’ve been walking around ever since.”  
“Shit...Zak, why didn’t you call me sooner?” Nick asked, “I would have come and gotten you.”  
“I felt bad waking you up.” Zak said. “But I ended up doing it anyway.” he added with an embarrassed chuckle.   
“Next time, wake me up sooner.” Nick said sincerely. “You don’t have to feel bad about it. Especially when you just got your ass kicked by a ghost for trying to defend me. At the very least, I owe you a ride and a couch to sleep on.”  
Zak smiled sheepishly. This whole thing was kind of embarrassing. If he hadn’t been so terrified, he would have tried to sleep on his own couch. But he couldn’t stand to stay in that apartment for another second.   
“Well, thanks man. I appreciate it.” He said with a sincere smile.   
“Let me get you some blankets and stuff.” Nick said, making his way toward his bedroom. He didn’t really keep extra bedding around. He pretty much washed the set he owned and put it back on his bed. But he figured he could sacrifice one of his pillows and his blanket for the night. He stripped the blanket from his bed and examined his pillows to see which case looked the cleanest. He brought them out to Zak, wishing he’d done laundry the day before like he’d planned to.   
“Here you go, man.” he said, handing the bedding over. “You want a refill on that?” he asked, nodding toward Zak’s empty glass.   
“No, that’s okay.” Zak said, pulling the blanket around him. It was warm and soft and it smelled like Nick, and it immediately comforted him.  
“Can I get you anything else?” Nick asked. He felt awkward. He wasn’t used to having people spend the night. Well, he wasn't used to having _men_ spend the night. He made a mental note to pick up another set of bedding tomorrow.   
“Um...wanna maybe watch some TV?” Zak asked timidly. “Unless you’re too tired.”  
“Oh, sure.” Nick said. He was pretty sure Zak was still shaken up and he didn’t want to leave him alone if he was. He flopped down on the other end of the couch and reached for the remote. “What are you in the mood for?”  
“Whatever...something mindless.” Zak said, leaning back into the pillow. He was engulfed in the smell of Nick’s cologne and he smiled to himself as he realized that the younger man had given him the pillow right off his bed. He inhaled deeply, letting the smell and the warmth soak into his bones.   
Nick settled on an old black and white Godzilla movie, hoping that was mindless enough to help Zak relax a bit.   
“I love this one.” Zak said with a tired smile. “I had it on VHS when I was a kid. Watched it so much, the tape wore out.   
“It’s a good one.” Nick said, scooting the coffee table in so he could rest his feet on it. He sank back, feeling his body relax into the cushions.  
“This is my favorite part right here.” Zak said, pointing lazily toward the screen. “Did you know the suit actually caught fire during this scene?”  
“No way.” Nick said with a chuckle.  
“Yeah, you can see the actor trying to put it out right...there. See?”   
“That’s hilarious!” Nick laughed. “Man, these special effects are the worst.”  
“I know...it’s great, right?” Zak said with a grin. He put his feet up on the couch, careful not to invade Nick’s space as he rolled onto his side to get more comfortable.   
Nick smiled as Zak curled up on the couch. He was happy to see that the older man had calmed down a bit and he hoped he might even be able to get a little sleep tonight.   
Nick chuckled quietly as the rockets being fired at Godzilla bounced off the fake sky backdrop. He glanced over to say something to Zak and found the man’s eyes closed. He looked so peaceful tangled up in the blankets and Nick smiled at his wild hair, so unlike Zak when he was awake. There was a softness about him as he slept. It was comforting. Nick knew he should probably go to bed, it was late and he needed the sleep. But he just wanted to finish the movie first. Afterall, there was only a couple minutes left and he was comfortable. 

Nick felt the sun shining on his eyelids and he pinched them shut, wanting to stay asleep a little longer. He was so tired and too comfortable to get up. He felt like he could sleep for days. He shifted a bit, reaching up to squish his pillow under his neck the way he liked, but it didn’t feel right. He shifted a bit more, getting comfortable as his arm wrapped back around the pillow next to him. He was starting to slink back into sleep as he felt movement under him. His eyes snapped open. He blinked a few times, slowly realizing he wasn’t in his bed. He sat up on the couch as Zak stirred next to him.   
“Shit…” Nick muttered.  
He locked eyes with Zak as the older man sat up, leaning against the opposite end of the couch.   
“I think we fell asleep.” Zak said, cautiously. Nick looked tense as he stared at Zak, clearly trying to figure out what had happened.   
“Shit…” Nick said again. He felt heat rush to his face as he realized he’d been _spooning_ Zak. He’d had his arm wrapped around the older man’s waist. There was even a little puddle of drool on the back of Zak’s shirt where Nick had clearly laid his head.   
“Nick, don’t freak out.” Zak said carefully.   
“I’m not freaking out!” Nick lied. “I just...I don’t understand what happened.”  
“I think you must have just knocked out at some point. It was late and we were both so tired. It’s not a big deal.” Zak said calmly. Nick looked _so uncomfortable_ that Zak couldn’t help but feel a little wounded.   
“ _I know_.” Nick said, sounding a bit more defensive than he meant to.   
“Okay…” Zak said quietly. “Sorry.”  
Zak looked down at his hands and Nick felt a punch of guilt hit him in his gut. Now Zak was apologizing to him. And for what? He felt like an ass. Zak had come to him for help and now he was making him feel bad about it.   
“No, man. You don’t need to apologize. This was _my_ fault. I just...one minute I was watching the movie...and then I don’t know what happened. Sorry.” Nick said sincerely. He didn’t even know why this was bothering him so much. He fell asleep next to Zak. So what? It’s not like he _slept with_ him.   
“It’s fine, dude. I’m not upset. I slept great, actually.” Zak chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. “I just don’t want you to feel awkward or anything. Because I’m totally fine.”   
The truth was he wasn’t fine. Not really. He’d woken up a few seconds before Nick to find the younger man wrapped around him, head nestled into his lower back and his heart hadn’t stopped pounding since then. He couldn’t remember a time he’d felt more happy to wake up with anyone. If only he hadn’t moved so much, Nick might still be asleep and he could enjoy the feeling of being wrapped in his warmth a bit longer. Instead, he felt like he was talking the younger man off a ledge.   
“You sure?” Nick asked, looking relieved.   
“Positive, man.” Zak said, reaching out to give Nick’s shoulder a good-natured pat.   
“Okay, good. I just didn’t want you to think that it, like... meant something, you know?” Nick said.   
Zak’s stomach twisted with the rejection. He knew it hadn’t meant anything, it was just an accident. But Nick was _really_ driving the message home.   
“Yeah. You’re not gay. Got it.” Zak said curtly.   
“Sorry. I didn’t mean it like that...” Nick said, picking up on Zak’s tone. “I just meant that I didn’t want to make _you_ uncomfortable. I want you to feel like you can call me if this happens again. And I promise I won’t fall asleep on top of you next time.” Nick said with a smirk, feeling pink crawl to his cheeks.  
Zak relaxed, smiling back at the younger man. Nick was just embarrassed and somehow that made Zak feel a little better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You GUYS! These two are killing me. I can't stop thinking about this story and mapping it out in my mind. I'm hoping I can make everything work the way I'm imagining. I hope you are enjoying these two clueless dorks being clueless and adorable.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zak and Nick head to the library to do some research and are distracted by a pretty librarian and the prospect of their future. (What? I'm terrible at these. Just read it. It's worth it.)

“I know you’re here with us. I can feel you.” Zak called out. The sun was coming up and he knew they didn’t have long until they called it a night.   
Activity had started picking up in the last hour or so. One of Zak’s watches had fallen off his dresser with no explanation, but with Nick’s camera on Zak, they’d completely missed it. Zak was determined to capture _something_ on camera.   
“Nick and I have been asking around trying to figure out who you are. We just want to tell your story. Can you please just give us a name?...Speak into this little red light and tell us your name.”  
Nick watched through the monitor with baited breath. It had been a few days since Zak had shown up at his door in the middle of the night and so far, the ghost seemed to be behaving herself. But Nick also knew how unpredictable she was, so he wanted to be ready for anything.   
“Are you still here?” Zak asked. All of a sudden it felt like the energy that had been surrounding him dissipated. He turned to face Nick, giving the younger man a confused look.  
“What is it?” Nick asked, finding Zak’s face in the monitor.   
“She’s gone.” Zak said. “I don’t feel her anymore. Alright, I’m calling it.” Zak said, stopping the recording and turning to face Nick. “The sun is coming up, and I’m starving.”  
“Yeah, okay.” Nick said, hefting the camera off his shoulder. “Why don’t you bring the recorder to breakfast and we can see if we got anything?”  
“Yeah…” Zak said, feeling frustrated. “Nick, we gotta figure out who this woman is. It’s the only way we’re gonna get her to talk.”  
“We will.” Nick said, reassuringly.   
“What are you doing later today?” Zak asked, suddenly. “You don’t have work, right?”  
“No. I was just planning on sleeping.” Nick chuckled. He was _exhausted_. He hadn’t been sleeping well the last few nights and he just wanted to pull all the shades and bury himself in blankets.   
“Wanna try the death records again?” Zak asked desperately. “We really just skimmed last time. I feel like if we really _look_ , we’re gonna find something.”  
“What about sleep?” Nick asked tiredly.   
“You can sleep when you’re dead, remember?” Zak grinned.  
The truth was that Zak wasn’t sleeping very well. He couldn’t settle down at his apartment and he was too embarrassed to ask about staying at Nick’s again. The ghost had been quiet the past few nights, so he didn’t feel like he had a good enough excuse to crash on the younger man’s couch. But that didn’t mean he hadn’t thought about it. It was really _all_ he could think about these past few days. Waking up with Nick so close, so warm, he couldn’t remember ever feeling that safe and happy. And knowing he wouldn’t feel it again made it all the more difficult to fall asleep on his own.   
Nick rubbed his eyes tiredly. Zak looked too hopeful and Nick knew he couldn’t say no.  
“Yeah, alright.” He agreed with a smirk.   
“Yeah?” Zak asked, brightly. “Alright. Let’s eat fast, the library opens in an hour!”

A little over an hour, and a few cups of coffee later, they were settling into the county death records at the local library.   
“I have a good feeling about this.” Zak said. “I really feel like we’re gonna find something today.”  
“I hope you’re right!” Nick said. “This isn’t gonna be much of a documentary without any backstory or hard facts to back up our claims.”  
“Here you go, gentlemen.” The librarian said as she rounded the corner, lugging a large file box.   
“Is this all of it?” Nick asked, quickly standing from his chair to take the box.  
“There’s three more just like it back there. But I thought you could start with this one, and I’ll bring the others out to you once you finish up.” She said.  
“Sounds good. Thanks again for your help.” Zak said.   
“No problem. Just remember, it’s Elizabeth with a “z”. For when you include me in the credits.” She said with a smile that Zak couldn’t help but notice was directed at Nick. He tried hard to ignore the sting of jealousy he felt.   
“You’ll be first on the list.” Nick said, shooting her the kind of bright smile that would have made Zak’s head spin. But this smile wasn’t directed at him.   
“Well, holler if you need anything.” Elizabeth said.  
“We will.” Zak cut in. It just sort of slipped out. He hadn’t meant to interrupt or to have it sound so cold.   
“Oh, okay.” Elizabeth said. She was taken aback like she’d forgotten Zak was even there. And he didn’t blame her, Nick’s smile did that to him too. She turned, reluctantly making her way back to her desk.   
“Should we get started?” Zak asked, turning to face Nick again.   
“Might as well! We’ve got a shit load of files to go through.” Nick said. He grabbed a small stack from the box, flipping through them one at a time.   
Zak’s eyes flicked to Nick’s face as he worked. He knew he shouldn’t say anything, but he was curious and his curiosity always won out.  
“So, she’s cute, huh?” He asked as nonchalantly as he could muster.   
“Huh? Oh, Elizabeth? Yeah, she’s pretty.” Nick agreed, barely looking up from the file in his hands.  
“She seemed to think you were pretty cute too.” Zak pushed.  
“What? What makes you think that?” Nick asked, locking his eyes with Zak’s.   
Zak felt the heat of Nick’s gaze slide over his skin. He wasn’t sure why he’d initiated this conversation or what he hoped to get out of it, but he hoped the heat rising in his cheeks wouldn’t give him away.   
“Come on, I saw the way she smiled at you.” Zak teased.   
“What? You’re imagining things, man.” Nick said dismissively.   
“Then I also imagined the way you smiled back at her?” He asked, raising his eyebrows.   
Now it was Nick’s turn to blush. He lowered his eyes back to the stack of folders hoping Zak hadn’t noticed.   
“All you saw was two people being nice to each other.” He said. “Now would you get to work?” he added with a chuckle.   
“Fine.” Zak agreed. He grabbed for a stack, flipping through the first few folders. But he was still curious. “Are you dating anyone?”   
“What?!” Nick asked sounding appalled. It wasn’t a ridiculous question, but for some reason, Zak asking it made him feel defensive.   
“It’s a simple question, Nick. Are you dating anyone?” Zak asked with a shrug.   
“Are _you_?” Nick asked, feeling childish and maybe a little curious.  
“No, not at the moment.” Zak said with a shrug. “Between work and the documentary I haven’t really had time for my usual _activities_.”   
“Yeah, me either.” Nick said reluctantly. “Although to be fair, I can’t really blame the documentary. I’ve been in a bit of a dry spell recently.” he added with an embarrassed chuckle.  
“Seriously?” Zak asked. He couldn’t imagine someone like Nick having trouble finding a girlfriend. But he also couldn’t help the relief that washed over him. Nick was single. I mean, he was still _straight_ , but at least he was single.   
“Yeah, man.” Nick said, rubbing at the back of his neck self-consciously. “Not all of us can be, like, super attractive studs.” He wasn’t sure where _that_ had come from. It just kind of fell out of his mouth, and he felt his face burn hot.  
Zak’s eyes went wide. Did Nick just called him attractive? He swallowed thickly, feeling the dryness in his throat. Nick was blushing and Zak knew he should probably say something to alleviate the tension, but he really just wanted to take a moment to soak this in.   
“Nick…” Zak started, eyes locking with Nick’s. He didn’t know what he was going to say, only that he wanted to say _something_.   
“You boys doing okay over here?” Elizabeth asked, appearing out of nowhere at exactly the wrong moment. “You ready for the next box?”  
Zak’s face fell at the interruption. His eyes still locked with Nick’s. Nick looked away, grateful for the intrusion.   
“Um, yeah. I’ll come help you with it.” Nick said, quickly standing from his chair.   
“So chivalry isn’t dead.” Elizabeth said with a grin. “Come on, it’s back this way.” she said, leading Nick away. 

A while later, they sat quietly flipping through files. The air hung thick with tension and Zak could practically _feel_ the nervous energy rising off of Nick. He wanted to find a way to calm him down. He knew Nick hadn’t really meant anything by his comment. Recognizing that someone is attractive doesn’t mean you’re attracted _to them_. But he knew his reaction probably hadn’t helped the situation either. It was just so unexpected.   
“See anything good?” Zak asked, trying to break the ice.   
“Nothing yet.” Nick said, keeping his eyes trained to the paper in front of him.  
“Me either…” Zak trailed off. He mindlessly drummed his fingers on the table while he tried to think of his next approach. His eyes drifted back up to Nick’s face. The younger man was deep in concentration and Zak watched him intently, studying the hard lines of his mouth and brow. No trace of the softness that Zak had grown accustomed to.   
“What is it, Zak?” Nick asked, lifting his eyes suddenly to lock with Zak’s.   
“What? Oh nothing.” Zak said awkwardly. “It’s just...You’re a catch, Nick. Anyone would be lucky to have you.” Zak shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I just wanted you to know that…”  
Nick stared at him for a moment, feeling his skin tingle at Zak’s gaze. He knew what Zak was doing. The older man always picked up on Nick’s embarrassment. He was just trying to make him feel better, but he couldn’t help feeling flattered by it. Nick felt a smile pull at the corners of his mouth.   
“Thanks, man.” he said dismissively.   
“I mean it, Nick. Your dry spell is self-imposed, so don’t be embarrassed about it.” Zak said sincerely. There was so much more he wanted to say, but he knew he couldn’t.   
“Okay, okay.” Nick grinned, feeling some mixture of embarrassed and flattered.   
“So you’re not gonna be weird, right? You’re gonna go back to normal Nick now?” Zak teased.   
“Yeah, okay. Normal Nick.” he said, feeling himself relax a bit.   
“Good.” Zak grinned.   
They returned to flipping through death records, but this time the silence was noticeably more relaxed. Zak’s words still echoed in Nick’s mind. _You’re a catch, Nick. Anyone would be luck to have you._ A compliment like that coming from a guy like Zak... it was almost enough to make Nick blush again.   
“So, what do you think we should do about our next night investigation?” Zak asked, breaking the silence. “Clearly, we’re not getting enough evidence. Well, not _capturing_ it at least.”   
“It would really help if we had a name…” Nick said. “And if I wouldn't have missed capturing that watch falling off your dresser.” Nick was still so pissed about that. He’d been watching Zak in the monitor when it happened. If he’d been paying closer attention, he might not have missed it.   
“You gotta let that go, man.” Zak said with a laugh. “You’re only one person. Besides, the microphone _and_ the digital recorder both picked up the sound of it falling.”   
“Yeah, but can you imagine if I had actually filmed it happening? That’s pretty undeniable proof right there.”   
Zak shrugged. It would have been amazing, but there was no point in Nick beating himself up over it.   
“We’ll get the next one.” Zak said.   
“You know, I’ve been thinking... “ Nick started, hesitantly. “It would be great to have a second camera. Not only for potentially capturing more stuff, but it would help to have multiple angles for when we’re assessing footage and stuff.”   
“Yeah, that would be great.” Zak agreed. “But neither of us have the money for a second camera.”  
“True.” Nick chuckled. “But I have this friend Aaron, he and I have worked together on a couple weddings. He’s a cool guy, super goofy, but a hard worker. And I was talking to him about what we’re doing and he seemed interested.”  
“Oh.” Zak said. On the one hand, it would be great to have another camera and a third set of eyes. But this was _their_ thing. While they were filming, Zak got Nick all to himself. He didn't think he was ready to give that up.   
“I didn’t say anything to him about helping or anything.” Nick said, sensing Zak’s apprehension. “I just thought I’d run it past you and see what you thought.”  
“I don’t know…” Zak started. “Don’t you think it’s a little far along to add in a third person?”  
“Yeah, probably.” Nick agreed. “But I was thinking about it, and I don’t know about you, but I’m really having a lot of fun doing this.”  
“Me too.” Zak agreed, not sure where Nick was going with this.   
“So maybe we don’t stop here?” Nick said cautiously. “Maybe we find other locations and we keep filming?”  
Zak had never really considered that option before, but it was definitely appealing. They’d fallen into a rhythm that he really enjoyed. For the first time he felt a real purpose. And even though they weren’t getting a paycheck, he’d never felt so fulfilled by anything else. Yeah, he could be happy filming with Nick for a long time.   
“Yeah.” Zak said, nodding his head excitedly. “I don’t want to stop either.”  
Nick’s grin could have buckled Zak’s knees if he’d been standing. The younger man was _beaming_ and Zak wondered how long he’d been wanting to bring this up.   
“So maybe Aaron doesn’t join us for this film. Maybe this one is just ours. But I think it would be worth considering a second camera for the future. And having another set of eyes in the room could really be helpful.” Nick suggested.   
Zak couldn’t help the way he smiled at Nick’s use of the word ‘ours’. Nick smiled back, clearly oblivious to Zak’s secret thoughts.   
“Okay.” Zak agreed.   
“Awesome!” Nick said happily. “I really think we’ve got something here, you know?. And I think you’re really gonna like Aaron.”  
Nick was right. They had stumbled onto something really good. And for the first time, the prospect of the future actually excited Zak. He trusted Nick. So if he said this Aaron guy was worth checking out, then he was willing to give it a try.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been playing around with when/how/if I was going to make Aaron a part of this story and I realized I definitely need him. I've written his character in the past and he always provides a great outside perspective and some comic relief usually. So we'll see how it goes! 
> 
> I'd love to hear how you're liking (or not liking) the story so far! I've got some plans that I'm pretty excited about! 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick has a dream that confuses him and Zak has a disturbing run in with the spirit haunting his apartment.

Nick sighed happily, feeling the weight and warmth of the body resting against his. He felt his muscles relax, sinking deep into the mattress as his hands ran over the smooth skin beneath his fingers. It felt so comforting and so familiar to the touch. His eyes were closed, but even without the benefit of sight, he felt he knew this body as well as he knew his own. He knew the shape of the arms and the curves of the back. He wrapped his arms around the ball of heat, pulling it closer into him. Never close enough. He wanted to open his eyes so he could really _see_ the body he held so tightly, but his eyes wouldn’t open. No matter how he commanded them to open, they wouldn’t. He saw only the soft glow of morning light shining on his closed eyelids. Touch, the only sense he seemed to have control over at the moment. But still, he was happy and content just like this. He nuzzled his cheek against the head that burrowed into his neck. He smiled to himself as he felt the warm breath ghost over his skin. He sighed again, as he wrapped his arms that much tighter around the sleeping form. He felt soft hair tickle his chin and he inhaled the sweet, familiar scent. He tried to place it, but he couldn’t quite put a finger on it. It had a floral quality to it that he had always found both unexpected and intriguing. And even though he couldn’t remember who the scent belonged to, it filled him with a deep sense of calm. He decided he’d be very happy to stay just like this for a long time. But a part of him knew that it wasn’t an option. That soon he’d have to leave the safety of this place. But he didn’t want to. Not yet. He pinched his eyes closed, willing himself to stay in this... _whatever it was_ , for as long as possible. He ran his hands over the skin beneath his fingers once more, wanting to keep track of it. Wanting to keep it close. He grazed his hands up the strong arms, feeling the dips of the hard muscle in his hands. The arms were larger than he expected, much larger than his own. But he found he didn’t mind. He knew he’d touched these arms before. The feel of them as familiar as the scent that passed over his nose with each breath. He knew who these arms belonged to. And he hugged the body close once more as he opened his eyes.   
Nick gasped as he startled awake. His heart raced in his chest as he searched his empty bed. He was alone, and he couldn’t ignore the way his heart sank at that realization. It was early, and the sun had barely shown itself over the horizon. Nick rubbed at his eyes, propping himself up against the headboard. His body was slick with sweat and his blankets stuck to him. He threw them back, feeling the chill of the air as it hit his skin. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. Had he been dreaming about _Zak_? A part of him didn’t even want to entertain the idea. But he couldn’t deny who the strong arms belonged to. He’d felt them for himself at the arcade the first time he’d hung out with Zak. He remembered well how much larger they were than his own, and how the muscle moved in his hand when Zak did. And the smell. He’d know that smell anywhere. They’d spent enough quiet nights huddled together in the dark. Nick was pretty sure the smell of Zak’s hair was forever etched in his brain. But that didn’t explain why he was dreaming about it. Or why he’d been... _holding_ Zak that way. He and Zak had admittedly been spending a lot of time together these past few months. Outside of work, Zak was pretty much the only person Nick spent his time with these days. He’d come to be a very close friend. Probably the best one Nick had.  
Dreams are weird. The way they take elements of your life and combine them in nonsensical ways. Nick decided that that was all this was. A combination of moments and conversations he’d had. He felt himself blush as he remembered again the way he’d accidentally fallen asleep on the couch. And how he’d woken up pressed up against Zak. And he’d been thinking a lot lately about how long it had been since he’d had a girlfriend - ever since Zak had asked him if he was dating anyone. That conversation had been playing over in his mind for days. And truth be told, it had been bugging him. So it’s no wonder he’d have a dream like this. It didn’t _mean_ anything, really. Just a weird mish mash of moments. That was all.   
He moved to rest his head against the pillows again. He still had a couple hours to sleep. And these days, he needed all the sleep he could get. He and Zak had plans to film again tonight, and he wanted to be sharp. He fidgeted a bit, trying to get the pillows the way he liked, but they weren’t quite right. His bed suddenly felt colder than he liked and he burrowed into the blankets, pulling them up to his chin. He just needed to _sleep_. He grabbed the pillow from the other side of the bed, wrapping an arm around it and pulling it in tight against his body. He nuzzled his face against the pillow as he pulled it closer, feeling the warmth spread across him as he slowly drifted off. 

“What’s up with you tonight?” Zak asked, pulling Nick from his thoughts. The room was dark, but Zak couldn’t ignore the nervous energy radiating off Nick.   
“What do you mean?” Nick asked.   
“You’re acting all quiet and weird. I’ve made some pretty great jokes tonight and they’ve all gone straight over your head.” Zak joked.   
“Ever stopped to think you’re just not that funny?” Nick said with a smirk. He really thought he’d been acting pretty normal, all things considered. He’d spent the day leading up to filming trying to sort through this whole dream situation and he felt like he’d landed in a good spot. But apparently, he wasn’t acting as normal as he thought.   
“I’m hilarious, Nick.” Zak said feigning seriousness. “I mean it, though. You good?”  
“Yeah, I’m good.” Nick said. “Just a little tired. I haven’t been sleeping well lately.”  
“Oh yeah? What’s the problem?” Zak asked curiously. He hadn’t been sleeping well either. Ever since he’d spent the night on Nick’s couch he’d had trouble sleeping so far from the younger man.   
“I don’t know...just can’t get settled, you know?” Nick said with a shrug. He was _not_ about to tell Zak about his dream and have the older man mock him mercilessly. He’d already made a fool of himself multiple times where Zak was concerned and he really didn’t need to give the older man any more reason to think he was socially inept.   
“It’s probably the stress of these long hours.” Zak reasoned.   
“Yeah, you’re probably right.” Nick agreed.   
“When we’re done shooting this film, I’m gonna sleep for a week straight.” Zak chuckled.   
“No kidding!” Nick agreed.  
“Well, are you good to try this tonight?” Zak asked cautiously. “We could always hold off.”  
“Are you kidding?” Nick asked. “There’s no way I’m gonna wait. We spent _hours_ in the library searching for this name. We’re doing this tonight!”   
Zak smiled, happy to hear the excitement in Nick’s voice.   
“Good!” Zak said. “Let’s do it.”   
He reached out in the dark for a fist bump and Nick watched through the monitor, chuckling at the way Zak searched for him in the dark.   
“Over here, man.” he laughed, finding Zak’s hand to return his fist bump. 

A few minutes later, the digital recorder was running and Nick stood filming as Zak sat on the edge of the bed.   
“Hello? It’s us again. We came to talk with you. We spent a lot of time looking through a lot of old records and we think we know who you are now. Will you come to my voice so we can talk?”  
Zak paused, waiting to feel something, anything in the room with him. He looked up at Nick with a shrug.   
“We think we know why you’re here.” Nick said, hoping to bring the spirit out of the woodwork. “We know why you’re upset. We just want to tell your story.”  
“Woah.” Zak interrupted, holding his arms out in front of him as goosebumps sprang up from his flesh. “Is that you? Are you here?”  
There was a light knock on the wall and Nick turned quickly to investigate it. The air was buzzing with electricity and he knew they should interact with her while she still had the energy.   
“Is that you, Mary Ann?” Nick said. “Is that your name?”   
“Would you knock again if that’s your name?” Zak added.   
Another soft knock on the wall had Nick jumping out of his skin.   
“Shit.” he mumbled. He was still on edge after how aggressive this spirit had been with them.   
“Thank you Mary Ann. We’re happy to know your name.” Zak said calmly, but his legs shook slightly as he sat there. “We think we understand why you’re here, Mary Ann. You told me once that you knew you were dead. Do you remember how you died?”  
Zak swallowed hard as he felt the bed dip next to him, the springs creaking softly.  
“Nick…” his voice shook slightly as he spoke.  
“What is it?” Nick asked, picking up on the fear in Zak’s voice.  
“She’s...on the bed.” he said, and he felt his hands begin to shake. He knew he needed to keep talking, keep asking questions, but he found himself unable to form a complete sentence.   
Nick waited patiently, not wanting to interrupt the connection between Zak and Mary Ann. But Zak was silent and Nick could see the recorder shaking in his hands and he knew he needed to take over.   
“We read that you hung yourself right here in this room. Is that right?” He asked, faking a brave voice for the camera. “Did you kill yourself, Mary Ann? Why did you do it?”  
Zak sat quietly, catching his breath. He was thankful for Nick stepping in but he still felt uneasy with Mary Ann sitting so close to him. He felt caged in by her presence and it sent his anxiety levels soaring.   
“You wrote a note.” Zak managed. “You wrote a suicide note before you died. In it you talked about how you’d found your husband in bed with another woman. And you were crushed. Is that why you hung yourself? Because he was a cheater?”  
Zak froze as he felt a cold chill run slowly up his arm, crawling up to his neck. He felt pressure as the cold wrapped around his throat. He struggled to take full breaths as the pressure grew.   
“Nick...Nick…” He felt himself losing it. He grasped out for Nick in the dark. He worried he might start hyperventilating if he didn’t calm himself down.   
“What is it?” Nick asked, worry palpable in his voice. He reached out, grabbing Zak’s arm to let the older man know he was right there.   
“She’s got my throat.” Zak said. It was uncomfortable to breath, but he could still take shallow breaths and he sucked them in greedily.   
“Hey! Leave him alone!” Nick called out angrily. He felt helpless standing there, unable to fight something he couldn’t see. Zak’s face was twisted with fear, pupils blown wide as he clearly fought for air. Nick moved closer, squeezing Zak’s shoulder protectively.   
“Let me get you out of here.” he said, dropping the camera on the bedside table.   
“No.” Zak protested. “Talk to her.”   
“Zak…” Nick started.   
“Talk to her, Nick.” Zak insisted. He was feeling weak but this was what they were working for and he wasn’t going to waste this opportunity.   
“Mary Ann!” Nick barked. “Let him go! I know your husband cheated on you and that was terrible. He’s the reason you ended your own life, and I’m sorry that you had to go through that. But Zak’s not your husband! Do you hear me? You can’t hurt him like this! I won’t let you hurt him.”  
Zak’s breathing was still erratic as he sat shaking on the bed. Nick felt the anger as it bubbled away in his gut. There was no way he was going to let Zak stay in this room a second longer. He didn’t even take the time to discuss it with the older man before bending down to wrap an arm under Zak’s, hefting him from the bed and making his way toward the door. Zak didn’t argue and Nick felt him lean his weight into his side as he dragged him toward the door. He took Zak into the hallway outside his apartment, carefully setting him down on the steps.   
“You okay?” he asked, crouching in front of the older man.  
Zak nodded, feeling the pressure on his neck subsiding as his breathing began to return to normal.   
“Good.” Nick said, with a quick squeeze to Zak’s shoulder. “You stay here. I’ll be right back.”  
“What? No.” Zak croaked out. “Don’t go back in there.”   
“I just need to grab the equipment. I’ll be quick.” Nick said, standing and making his way to the door. “Just stay there.” He stepped into the apartment, shutting the door behind him and ignoring Zak’s protests. His heart pounded as he made his way toward the bedroom. The apartment was quiet, but Nick knew that didn’t mean anything when it came to spirits. He walked into the bedroom, pulling his cell phone from his pocket. He needed light, but they’d made it a practice to shut off the circuit breaker before filming. So he’d have to settle for the glow from his cell phone. He just needed to grab the camera and find the digital recorder. He headed for the camera first, opting to leave it recording in case anything happened on his way out of the apartment. He spotted the red light of the recorder on the bed and grabbed for it, turning it off and dropping it in his pocket.   
He felt goosebumps prickle his skin as he shoved some of Zak’s clothes into a bag. Zak was staying with him tonight.   
“I’m warning you, Mary Ann. You better not fuck with me right now.” He said over his shoulder, feeling a cold blast of air behind him. “Zak doesn’t belong to you. Do you understand me? He’s not yours to try to control.” he said, shoving the older man’s hair products into the bag. “You don’t decide who gets to come into this apartment. This is Zak’s home and you’re nothing but an unwelcome guest.”   
He saw a shadow out of the corner of his eye, and he turned quickly, just missing it as it passed through his peripheral vision. He walked to Zak’s closet, grabbing the sweatshirt hanging from his hook. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end and he turned to face the room. It was empty, but he knew he was being watched. He could feel it. He reached down, turning the camera off. He didn’t want an audience for this.  
“He’s not yours, Mary Ann.” Nick barked. “And I’m not going anywhere. Zak is important to me and I protect the people I care about. So you will leave him alone, or you will have to answer to me! Knock if you understand me.”   
He held his breath, waiting for a reply he didn’t expect to get. He knew it wasn’t going to be that easy, but he also knew he couldn’t leave without setting some ground rules with this spirit. She’d crossed a line and she needed to know it. He felt the energy in the room beginning to dissipate and he could feel that he was alone for now. He slung the bag over his shoulders making his way back out to his friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Protective Nick is my KRYPTONITE. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! More to come soon!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick cooks Zak breakfast and they get to work editing their film.

Zak rolled over, wiping the sleep from his eyes. He could tell by the position of the sun that it was already early afternoon. He hadn’t meant to sleep this long, but Nick’s couch was deceivingly comfortable. He pulled the blanket in tight, smiling again at the way Nick had removed it from its original packaging the previous night. He must have gone out to buy a blanket after Zak stayed over the last time. He nestled his head into the pillow, which he was pleased to find, still smelled like Nick. He closed his eyes, breathing in the smell of the younger man’s cologne. Despite being choked by a ghost the night before, he hadn’t slept this well since...the last night he spent on this couch.   
He reached for his phone, checking the time. It was already a little after 1:00pm. He really had overslept. He hoped Nick was still sleeping and not sitting in his bedroom quietly waiting for him to wake up. He decided to send Nick a quick text just in case.

_Hey, sorry for sleeping so long. I'm awake now if you wanna come out._

He pressed send, reaching for the TV remote and flipping through the channels. His phone vibrated on the couch next to him and he grabbed for it, reading the reply from Nick. 

_No problem, man. I went out to grab us some breakfast. I'm on my way back. Should be there in a few._

Zak smiled as he read the text. He hopped off the couch and made his way to the bathroom to brush his teeth and fix his hair. No need for Nick to see him with bed head.   
A few minutes later he heard the front door open. He put the finishing touches on his hair, checking himself in the mirror one more time.   
“I’m back!” Nick called out from the living room.  
“Be right out!” Zak replied, making his way toward the smell of coffee. His stomach was starting to rumble at the thought of food. “Dude, that coffee smells amazing.” He said as he rounded the corner.  
Nick balanced a paper bag in one hand and a tray with coffee in the other.   
“Here, let me help you with that.” Zak said, taking the tray from Nick’s hand. He was hit with the subtle scent of Nick’s cologne. The younger man was freshly shaved, and clearly showered and Zak couldn’t help wondering how long he’d been awake. He looked good, too. He was wearing a shirt that Zak had never seen before and he couldn’t help but notice the way the fabric clung to Nick’s lean muscles. Suddenly he wished he’d spent a little more time on his hair.  
“What’s in the bag?” Zak asked, taking a sip of coffee.  
“Breakfast.” Nick grinned. “Well, it will be.”   
“Nick Groff, are you gonna _cook_?” Zak asked, eyes wide.   
“Hey, don’t look so surprised!” Nick laughed. “I’m not half-bad in the kitchen.”  
“Is that right?” Zak asked with a smile.   
“I make a pretty mean breakfast.” Nick said with a daring look.  
“Well, alright then.” Zak said. The confidence in Nick’s voice was sexy and Zak tried hard not to show the effect it was having on him. “What can I help with?”  
“Just drink your coffee and watch the master work.” Nick smirked.   
“Fine by me.” Zak agreed. And it was. He was happy for any excuse to watch Nick in that tight tank top. He followed the younger man into the kitchen, taking a seat at the island while Nick got to work unpacking the grocery bag. “So, what are we having?” Zak asked, taking another sip of coffee.   
“Eggs with hashbrowns and sausage and waffles.” Nick said, pulling a waffle iron from the cabinet above his fridge.   
“Wow.” Zak said, nodding his head in approval. “Is this a typical Saturday morning breakfast for Nick Groff?”   
“Oh yeah. I cook like this all the time.” Nick said with a sarcastic smirk. “It just sounded good. And you slept through breakfast. So I thought...why not?”   
Zak smiled warmly at the younger man. Nick smiled back and Zak took another drink of his coffee needing something to do with his hands. Nick was _cooking_ for him. He’d never had anyone cook for him before.   
“The coffee’s good.” Zak said, looking to fill the silence. But he watched intently as Nick got to work stirring up the batter for the waffles.   
“Yeah, it’s from my favorite spot down the street.” Nick said.   
“Sorry I slept so long.” Zak said, suddenly realizing how much Nick had accomplished already that day.   
“Don’t worry about it.” Nick said dismissively. “Last night was...draining. You needed the sleep.”   
“Yeah…” Zak agreed.   
“Besides, you were _really out_. I mean mouth open, snoring, the whole bit.” Nick smirked.  
“I _was not_.” Zak laughed. But he had to admit, it sounded like him.   
“At first I was worried that I was gonna wake you up. But you were dead to the world. I’ve never seen anyone sleep so hard. It was actually a little concerning.” Nick joked.   
“I’m a heavy sleeper.” Zak grumbled, but his face cracked into a smile.  
Nick smiled back, before moving to get a large pan heating on the stove.   
“Hey, thanks again for letting me stay here.” Zak said appreciatively. “I honestly don’t think I would have gotten any sleep at home.”  
“Of course.” Nick said sincerely. “There was no way I was gonna leave you with her anyway. Not after she tried to choke you.” Nick added, feeling his hands ball into fists at the thought. He’d definitely had enough of Mary Ann.   
“Yeah, I’m a little worried about what we stirred up calling her out like that.” Zak said, watching Nick as he poured batter into the waffle iron. His shoulders were a stiff line and Zak wondered if he was stressing out about Mary Ann or if he was just _really_ serious about his waffles.   
“She had no right.” Nick said, locking eyes with Zak. “Being dead doesn’t give you the right to hurt people and to scare them. She did what she did and I get that she’s pissed at her husband, but she doesn’t get to take it out on you.”  
Zak looked back at him, unblinking. Nick knew Zak was probably taken aback by his intensity, but he couldn’t help it. They’d tried to be nice, to reason with Mary Ann, and she wouldn’t listen. Nick didn’t like to think about what might have happened if he hadn't been there last night. He dropped his eyes, turning to grab the eggs out of the refrigerator.  
“Anyway, you should probably just stay with me for a few days. Just until we can figure out what to do.” He suggested, paying close attention to releasing a cooked waffle from the waffle iron.   
“I won't be in your way?” Zak asked, feeling more than a little relieved.   
“No.” Nick smiled. “Besides, I wanted to get started on editing all the stuff we filmed. It would be nice to have you around for that.”   
“Yeah, okay. I mean, if you don't mind, I’d love that.” Zak said sincerely.   
“I don't mind.” Nick said, making his way to the stove to flip the sausage. “I’ve got plenty of stuff, clothes and whatever you need. We could also go back to your place if you needed to grab anything.”   
Zak watched as Nick carefully cracked some eggs into the sausage fat. His stomach was growling now and he was pretty sure he’d be happy to stay with Nick for as long as he’d have him.   
“I don't need anything from my place. You did a pretty good job of packing for me the other night.” Zak said, feeling a smile spread across his lips. Nick had grabbed enough boxers to last him a week. Plus a couple t-shirts, a sweater and his hair products. Pretty much everything he needed.   
“Good.” Nick said with a smile. “Why don’t you grab a couple plates and we can get to work on editing while we eat?”   
“Sure.”

Two large helpings later, Zak was feeling full and slowly falling into a carb coma. He watched as Nick scrolled through the hours of footage, marking the interesting bits so they would remember them for editing.  
“I think that third waffle was a mistake.” Zak said, patting his stomach with a groan.  
“Yeah, I think it probably was.” Nick chuckled. “I’ll never understand how you eat so much.”  
“I’m a growing boy.” Zak smirked. “What can I say?”  
“I guess.” Nick laughed. “What I can’t understand is how you stay so fit? I mean, I see what you eat.”  
“Stop, Nick. I’m blushing.” Zak said sarcastically. But he couldn’t help but smile at the veiled compliment.  
“No. Sorry, that’s not what I meant. I just mean, we spend most of our time together. So, I can’t figure out when you find the time to work out?”  
“I fit it in.” Zak said with a shrug.   
“How? I can barely find the time to sleep these days.” Nick said. He’d always been active, but since they’d started this project together, he’d felt himself slipping out of his routine. And somehow Zak stayed as fit as ever.   
“Well, I haven’t really been sleeping well lately. So I’ve been working out a lot at night trying to make myself more tired so I can fall asleep.” He said, feeling oddly vulnerable. He didn’t want Nick to know how hard it had been since they’d started filming.  
“Has it really been that bad?” Nick asked. The concern in his eyes was evident.   
“It’s no big deal…” Zak said dismissively. “It gave me plenty of time to get some lifting in.” he said, trying to laugh it off.   
“Zak, you could have stayed here. I told you that.” Nick said seriously. “If I had known it was that bad…”  
“It’s fine, Nick. I’m here now.” Zak shrugged.   
“I guess.” Nick said, turning his attention back to the computer screen. “At least I feel a little better knowing that you don’t just _wake up_ that jacked.”  
Zak smiled wide. He did not mind Nick noticing his body. Not one bit.   
“Nope. I gotta work for it, just like everyone else. You should have seen how scrawny I was as a kid.” he chuckled. “You wouldn’t recognize me.”  
“Oh yeah?” Nick laughed. “I can relate. I’ve always been pretty scrawny.”   
“No.” Zak said with a shake of his head. “I was a _twig_. No muscle definition. Nothing. You’re lean, but you’re fit.”  
“Not as fit as I used to be.” Nick said with a sigh. “I’ve really fallen off the wagon recently. I gotta get back into the habit.”   
“We should lift together or something?” Zak suggested. He didn’t love to work out, he really only did it out of necessity. But it might not be so bad working out with Nick.   
“Yeah?” Nick asked, turning to face Zak.   
“Yeah. Why not? I could stand to get my ass out of bed a little earlier.” he chuckled. “We could lift first thing and then still have plenty of time to work on editing or whatever else we have to do that day.”  
“Yeah, okay.” Nick said, coming around to the idea. “That would be good.”  
“Great. We’ll start tomorrow. I’m way too full to work out today.” Zak said, patting his belly again.   
“Sounds good.” Nick laughed, turning his attention to the computer.  
“So what happens after we’re done marking all the footage?” Zak asked. “Do you think we really have enough here for an entire film?”   
“I don’t know…” Nick said pensively. “I was hoping that going through it like this would help me categorize it in my brain. And I could see how the story could lay out. I think we’ve got some really good stuff. But I definitely feel like we’re missing that one thing that’s really gonna pull it all together.”   
“Like an actual apparition?” Zak asked.   
“No. I mean, that would be great if it happened.” Nick admitted. “But I don’t think we need it. We’ve got a lot of really compelling recordings and physical evidence. I feel like what we’re missing is a conclusion to your story.”   
“What do you mean?” Zak asked. This film wasn’t about him. It was about the existence of ghosts.   
“You have a connection with this spirit. I’m not saying it’s good or healthy, but for whatever reason, she feels particularly drawn to you. And I think her story is important. Maybe even more important than capturing an apparition. We can actually tell the story of how this particular spirit was born. We have enough here to do that. To really show the world how grief can twist a person into something like that. I mean, can you imagine the kind of insight into the paranormal that would be?”  
Nick’s eyes were wild with excitement and passion and Zak took a moment to swim in them. Nick was beautiful. And Zak’s heart stung as he fought the urge to lean in and kiss him.   
“You sound like your grandmother.” He said, chest still aching behind his smile.  
“You didn’t know my grandmother.” Nick said, smiling at the compliment anyway.   
“No. But the way you described her, I feel like I did. You’re both curious and adventurous and passionate. I’m guessing she’s the reason you’re such a gifted storyteller.” Zak said sincerely.   
Nick smiled bashfully. He decided that might be the best compliment he’d ever received and the aftershocks of it left an odd twisting sensation in his stomach.   
“She did always tell the best stories.” He said with a distant fondness in his voice.   
“See, I knew it.” Zak smiled. “Just like your grandmother.”   
Nick smiled back appreciatively, feeling his skin warm.   
“Okay.” Zak said. “Let’s do it your way. Let’s find a conclusion for me and Mary Ann. I think you’re right, I think there’s a story here that’s more powerful than a simple haunting.”   
“Great.” Nick beamed. “Now we just have to figure out what that conclusion is.”   
“Should be easy.” Zak said sarcastically.  
“I’ve got some ideas.” Nick said with a nod. “We’ll figure something out.”  
Zak smiled appreciatively. He wasn’t worried. With Nick’s help, he felt like he could accomplish anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love a man that can cook! If you've read my other stories, you'll notice that I always write Nick in the kitchen. If I ever find out that Nick Groff is a terrible cook I'm gonna be so bummed. 
> 
> I love writing these little moments of conversation between these two. I didn't have a plan for what they would talk about when I started this chapter, but I'm really happy with the direction the characters led me. Hope you enjoyed it too!


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zak and Nick go for a run which leads to a quick trip to Zak's apartment where they find an unpleasant surprise waiting for them.

Nick groaned, reaching out to grab for the phone vibrating against his night stand. It couldn’t possibly be time to get up already. He looked at the screen, noticing much to his dismay that it was his morning alarm. He groaned again, turning it off before burying his head in the pillows. As much as he wanted to get back into the habit of working out, maybe he could just skip today? He and Zak had worked out a few days in a row now and he felt like his body deserved a break. But he sighed, knowing that Zak would be waiting for him. They’d agreed on the time before they called it a night and Nick really didn’t want to flake out on him. He patted his cheeks, waking himself up a bit before rolling out of the bed to step out of yesterday’s boxers and into a clean pair. He rustled through his clothes, shrugging on his favorite tank and a pair of mesh shorts. His muscles were sore. Zak had suggested they do all arms the day before and Nick was _feeling_ it. He had worked twice as hard just trying to keep up with the kind of weight Zak was lifting and even then, he’d had to cut back on reps. He knew he definitely couldn’t do anything that involved using his arms today.   
He laced up his shoes, making his way into the living room where he expected to find Zak up and complaining about the wake up time he’d suggested. Instead, Nick found him curled up on the couch, sound asleep. He walked over quietly, unsure if he should wake the older man or let him sleep. He looked at Zak for a moment, intrigued by the softness of his face as he slept. He remembered the first time he’d seen it, when Zak had fallen asleep watching Godzilla the first time he stayed over. He smiled softly to himself at the memory. He couldn’t help but notice the way the early morning light played across the older man’s face, defining his cheekbones and jawline. Or the way his mussed up hair looked, yesterday's hair product having finally given up its hold. He wondered to himself what Zak’s hair might look like straight out of the shower, untamed and dripping wet. He thought about how it would feel, so different than he imagined it felt now. Softer and lighter and easier to comb his fingers through. Easier for _Zak_ to comb his fingers through, Nick corrected himself. He had no reason to touch Zak’s hair. Not now and _definitely_ not right out of the shower.   
Zak shifted in his sleep and Nick jumped, suddenly worried Zak would catch him standing there watching him as he slept. But the other man settled, nuzzling his face into the pillow. He looked so peaceful and Nick found himself wondering what he might be dreaming about. Whatever it was, he smiled in his sleep, sighing softly as he wrapped an arm around the pillow pulling it in tighter. Nick felt bad pulling him from such a restful sleep, but he also knew that Zak would feel bad for making him wait if he didn’t. He got a little closer, suddenly very aware of being in the older man’s personal space while he slept. He reached out, patting his arm lightly.  
“Zak.” He said just above a whisper.  
The older man smiled, exhaling contentedly in his sleep. Clearly that wasn’t working.   
“Zak.” He said a little louder, shaking him lightly.   
“Nick…” Zak mumbled in his sleep, smile spreading wider across his face.   
“Yeah, Zak. It’s me. Come on. Time to get up.” Nick said, shaking him a little harder.   
The older man’s eyes fluttered open, his smile turning quickly to confusion as he tried to figure out what was happening.  
“Nick?” He mumbled sleepily. “What’s going on?”  
“I think you slept through your alarm.” Nick said, standing up and taking a couple steps back. Aware again of his close proximity.   
“Oh shit...what time is it?”   
“Quarter after 7. If you wanna sleep-”  
“No, no, no.” Zak said, sitting up quickly. “Just give me a second to get ready.”   
He scrambled out from under the covers wearing nothing but a pair of tight, black boxer briefs and Nick couldn’t help the way his eyes slid over Zak’s body. He’d never seen him so...exposed before. So on display.  
Zak felt eyes on his body. He blushed slightly as he remembered kicking off the rest of his clothes at some point in the night.   
“Sorry. I got hot and-”  
“No. No worries, man.” Nick said, suddenly realizing he’d been staring. “I’ll give you a minute to get ready” He made his way for the kitchen, cheeks burning.

Zak huffed and puffed as he struggled to keep his feet moving down the trail. He wasn’t sure how he’d let Nick convince him to go running. Cardio was not his strongsuit. His lungs burned as he struggled to breath normally. He’d had a pain in his side for the last half mile and he knew he was going to need to stop soon. And somehow Nick had hardly even broken a sweat in the hot Las Vegas sun.   
He sneaked a peek at Nick out of the corner of his eye. The younger man had been quiet  
since they left the apartment. Zak hoped he was just tired and not feeling uncomfortable. He made a mental note to try and keep his clothes on when he slept from now on. It would have been fine if he hadn’t slept through his alarm. But that damn couch was so comfortable.   
“You doing okay over there?” Nick said interrupting Zak’s thoughts.   
Zak realized he was starting to wheeze as he sucked in breath. He was exhausted and he hated running. He slowed to a stop, bending to lean his hands on his knees.   
“No, dude. I’m not. Running is the fucking worst!” He said, voice labored as he worked to catch his breath.   
Nick chuckled, lacing his fingers together and resting his hands on the top of his head.   
“Not big into cardio I take it.” he said with a smirk.   
“Not unless it’s in the bedroom.” Zak said, still breathing heavily.   
Nick laughed heartily and Zak smirked, always happy to make the younger man laugh.   
“Man, you must really be out of practice then.” Nick snickered.   
“Whatever, dude.” Zak said with a playful shove. “I’m asthmatic, you know!”  
“Oh shit. Really?” Nick said, smile leaving his face. “Why didn’t you say something? Are you okay?”  
“I’m fine.” Zak reassured. “I just need a minute to catch my breath.”   
“Where’s your inhaler?” Nick asked, suddenly noticing the lack of pockets on Zak’s clothes.   
“At my apartment.” Zak shrugged.  
“Come on.” Nick said, grabbing Zak by the crook of the arm.   
“What?” Zak protested as he was pulled back the way they came.   
“We’re done for today.” Nick said.   
“Nick, I just needed a minute.” Zak argued.   
“I’m not running with you unless you have your inhaler.” Nick insisted.   
“Fine with me. I hate running anyway.” Zak snarked.   
Nick released his arm, but Zak stayed close, shoulders brushing as they made their way back down the running trail.   
“Yeah, well I’m not lifting with you either. Not unless you have it with you.” Nick said.   
“It’s really not that bad, you know? It just makes cardio a little difficult.” Zak shrugged. “It’s not like I’m gonna drop dead. I haven’t had an asthma attack in a long time.”  
“Well, we’re not gonna start today. I’d just feel better if we went to your apartment and got it.”   
“Fine.” Zak conceded. He really didn’t know if he was ready to go back into his apartment. He hadn’t really dealt with what had happened to him the week before. It had been easy to push it out of his mind in favor of focusing on the time he was getting to spend at Nick’s. And the truth was he was still pretty scared to go back there. “Can we get breakfast first?”  
“Sure.” Nick chuckled. 

“I gotta tell you, man. That breakfast you made the other day kinda ruined me for other breakfast foods.” Zak said, mouth stuffed with hashbrowns.  
“I tried to tell you…” Nick said with a smile.   
“You weren’t kidding. Those were the best waffles I’ve ever tasted.” he said, poking at the dry lump of dough masquerading as a waffle on his plate. “You have a gift.”  
“Thanks.” Nick chuckled. “But you better not let Nancy hear you saying that. I bet she’d have a pretty good suggestion for what you could do with those waffles if you don’t like them.”  
“Oh man, now I kinda wanna let her hear me.” Zak laughed. “She’s hilarious when she’s pissed off.” He smiled across the restaurant at the older waitress as she sat on a stool fanning herself.   
“What are you grinning at me like that for?” Nancy barked.   
“The waffles are great today, Nancy!” Zak said quickly, adding a charming smile for good measure.  
“You chicken.” Nick laughed.   
“Shut up. She’s feisty, man.” Zak said, turning his attention back to his plate.   
“So I was thinking, if you’re up for it, want to grab some drinks with that guy Aaron I was telling you about? That way you can get to know him and see if we might want to bring him on for our next project.”  
“Oh yeah, sure.” Zak said feeling a little disappointed. This past week had been so great, just him and Nick hanging out. And if he was being honest, he was probably getting a little lost in the fantasy of him and Nick together. Rationally he knew they weren’t dating or even living together. But it was nice to pretend for a little bit.   
“I really think you’re gonna like him.” Nick said, picking up on Zak’s hesitation. “But if you don’t, it’s no problem. Like I said, I haven’t mentioned anything to him yet. So we don’t have to use him if we don’t want to.”  
“Yeah, okay. I’d like to meet him. Let’s do it.” Zak said, trying to sound a bit more positive. If this was a friend of Nick’s he was sure he’d like him.   
“Cool. I’ll text him later and see if he’s free to meet up this week.” Nick said, taking a sip of his coffee. “You done? Should we go get your inhaler?”  
“Yeah, I guess so.” Zak said, feeling his anxiety building.   
They walked quietly down the block to Zak’s building. Nick could tell the older man was feeling nervous with the way he fidgeted with his shirt every few seconds. He thought about just offering to go inside himself but he worried Zak’s pride couldn’t take it. They stopped outside the building and Zak paused taking a deep breath.   
“Okay...I guess I’ll be right back.” He said, hoping he sounded more confident than he felt.   
“What are you talking about? I’m coming with you.” Nick said matter-of-factly.  
“Oh my God. Thank you, dude.” Zak said, reaching out to rest his hand on Nick’s shoulder. “I don’t know why I’m freaking out about this. But I just really don’t want to go in there.”  
“You don’t have to. I can go.” Nick suggested.   
“No. I have to go. I just don’t really want to do it alone.” Zak chuckled.   
“Okay.” Nick nodded. “Well, let’s go get this over with.”  
Zak unlocked his apartment door, feeling his blood pressure spike. Something didn’t feel right. He didn’t know if it was just his imagination or what, but the air felt heavier and thicker the closer he got to the door. He pushed the door open slowly, happy to have Nick right behind him.   
“Shit…” he said as he took in the sight. His apartment was a disaster. His living room furniture was in disarray, the couch lay flipped on its back, pictures were ripped from the walls. The whole place looked like it had barely survived an earthquake.  
“Shit.” Nick echoed, eyes going wide. “Do you think you got robbed?” He asked almost hopefully.   
“I don’t think so.” Zak said quietly. He felt his legs tremble slightly as he stood there.  
“I’m so sorry, man. I feel kind of responsible.” Nick said honestly. He couldn’t help but think of how aggressive he’d been with the spirit of Mary Ann; promising that he’d be back and threatening her if she tried to harm Zak again. He didn’t regret his words, but he felt awful about the damage they’d caused.  
“You didn’t do this, Nick.” Zak said simply. His heart pounded in his chest and he worked to calm himself.  
“Come on, let me help you clean up at least.” Nick said, stepping into the apartment to assess the damage.   
“No. I don’t...I can’t...can we just get out of here?” Zak asked. The air felt heavy and his body shook. He worried he was on the verge of an anxiety attack and he didn’t want Nick to see.   
“Yeah, okay.” Nick said, narrowing his eyes. Zak was pale and he moved to lean against the door frame. “Zak, are you okay?”  
“Yeah. I’m just...I gotta get out of here.” He was starting to sweat now and he leaned his head against the door frame, closing his eyes and attempting to bring his heart rate down.   
“Woah. Okay.” Nick said, rushing to Zak’s side. He was worried the older man was about to pass out on him. “It’s gonna be okay, Zak. Let’s just sit you down over here.” he said, guiding him to sit on the stairs outside his door. “Where do you keep your inhaler?”  
“I’m not having an asthma attack, Nick. I just need to get out of here!” He was alarmed by how panicked he sounded. He couldn’t calm down. He felt like he was spinning out of control and he just wanted a breath of fresh air.   
“I know. I’m just gonna grab it real quick while we’re here.” Nick said.   
His voice was calm and reassuring and Zak tried to focus on it long enough to remember where he’d left his inhaler.   
“In the nightstand. Top drawer.” He managed.  
“I’ll be right back.” Nick said. “Put your head between your knees, okay? I’ll be right back.”  
Nick ran into the apartment and straight for the bedroom. He didn’t have time to be nervous, he just needed to get Zak’s inhaler so he could get him out of here. He rifled through the drawer of his nightstand but he couldn’t help but notice the state of the bedroom. Every drawer was open and Zak’s clothes were scattered everywhere. The mattress hung lopsided off the bed, the sheets and blankets stripped and discarded on the floor. He had never seen anything like this. It was one thing for a ghost to play with someone’s emotions or make them feel sick. It was another thing to turn a couch over on its side. Up until now he had thought a ghost with this sort of power was the stuff of movies. Not real life. Not when people he cared about could actually get hurt. When _Zak_ could actually get hurt. His fingers wrapped around something at the back of the drawer. He pulled it out, happy to see Zak’s inhaler. He breathed a sigh of relief making his way for the door.  
“I found it-” he said, stopping short. Zak wasn’t there. “Zak?” He called into the apartment. But there was no answer. He closed the door, locking it behind him and pounded down the stairs. “Zak!” he called louder as he burst through the main entrance. He let out a breath he wasn’t aware he’d been holding when the saw the older man sitting in the grass. His back was to Nick, but he could tell from the slump of his shoulders that Zak was still recovering from whatever he’d just experienced.   
“Zak?” Nick said softly, walking up to the older man. “You okay?”  
“Yeah.” He answered back, unmoving.  
Nick could see his face now and he didn’t miss the tears welling up in his eyes. The older man was still shaking lightly as he sat in the grass.   
“Sorry I left you up there.” he said quietly. “I had to get out of there.”  
“That’s okay.” Nick said, sitting down next to Zak in the grass. He itched to touch him, to comfort him. But he folded his arms in his lap instead. “What happened up there?”   
“I don’t know...I think I just didn’t fully process what happened last week. And I wasn’t expecting to see all that when we went in there today. It really scared me.” he said, turning to look Nick in the eye for the first time since he’d sat down. His blue eyes were glossy as he stared and Nick could feel Zak’s pain as if it were his own. “I guess I just realized that this thing we’re doing...it’s serious. It’s dangerous. And it scares me because once you’re in it, you’re in it. There’s no half-assing something like this.”  
Nick nodded. He was pretty sure he knew where this was going and he’d be lying if he said he didn’t feel his heart crack in his chest.  
“I understand.” he said. And he did. This was serious business and he couldn’t blame Zak for not wanting to get mixed up in it. “You have to do what’s best for you.”   
“I agree.” Zak said “And for the first time in my life, I feel like I know what that is. I just hope you’re still in this with me.”   
Confusions flooded Nick’s face as he looked at Zak.   
“I just...I don’t think I could do this without you, Nick. There’s no one else I trust to have my back in there.”  
“Wait...are you saying you still want to do this?” Nick asked, feeling cautiously optimistic.   
“I know it’s probably not the smart thing to do. But I can’t just sit by knowing these things are out there and do nothing, you know? So I’m in if you are. What do you say?” Zak asked with a smirk.   
“I say hell yes!” Nick beamed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These boys are gonna kill me...
> 
> I know this chapter was a little all over the place. It took me somewhere I wasn't totally expecting! I love that about writing, but it's also frustrating sometimes! Anyway, I hope you are enjoying it! I'm pretty excited about what I have planned for chapter 12!


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick and Zak meet up with Aaron for some drinks. But when the bartender shows interest in Zak, Nick starts to get uncomfortable.

Zak touched his hair again, feeling to make sure it was staying in place. He pulled at the hem of his shirt, adjusting it on his body. He was nervous, which was stupid. They were at a bar near Nick’s place waiting to meet his friend Aaron for a few drinks. He’d realized as he was getting ready that he’d spent so long wondering if he’d like Aaron that he hadn’t stopped to consider that Aaron might not like _him_. From the sounds of it, Nick really liked this guy. They’d known each other for a couple of years and had worked together in the past filming and editing wedding footage. Zak could tell it was important to Nick that they hit it off and he didn’t want to be the reason they didn’t. He reached his hand up again, smoothing his hair carefully.  
“Your hair looks fine, dude.” Nick said with a smirk.   
“Oh, okay.” Zak said, dropping his hand awkwardly. “So what time did Aaron say he was gonna be here?”   
“He should be here in a minute. He texted me that he was just parking.”   
“Oh, okay.” Zak said, fighting the urge to adjust his clothes again.   
Nick smiled to himself. He could tell Zak was nervous. He hardly ever saw him this way. He was usually so confident and Nick felt like the nervous idiot. He had to admit this was a nice change. But he figured he should put Zak out of his misery.   
“You don’t have to be nervous, you know.” He said with a smile.   
“I’m not.” Zak lied.   
“Okay…” Nick said with a knowing look.   
“I just know how much you want this to work out.” Zak confessed. “I’m just hoping we hit it off, that’s all.”   
“Aaron is the most chill person I know. He’s so easy to get along with. I wouldn’t worry about it.” Nick reassured him.   
“It’s not him I’m worried about.” Zak mumbled.  
Nick couldn’t believe it. Zak was actually worried that Aaron wasn’t going to like _him_? That thought hadn’t even crossed his mind. But before he could put Zak at ease, he noticed Aaron making his way toward the table.  
“Hey, what’s up man!” Nick said, standing up to give Aaron a firm handshake. “I feel like I haven’t seen you for forever!”  
“Seriously, dude. It’s been too long.” Aaron said with a goofy grin. “This must be the famous Zak!” he said, reaching out to shake his hand.  
“Well, I don’t know about _famous_ …” Zak said with a nervous chuckle.   
“Are you kidding? It’s all this guy talks about. _My buddy Zak this...My buddy Zak that_ …It’s exhausting!”  
Zak grinned at Nick as the younger man rolled his eyes and shook his head.  
“Anyway, it’s great to finally meet you!”   
“You too, man.” Zak said, as they all took a seat. “Nick’s told me a lot about you too. You guys went to college together, right?”  
“Oh yeah, good ‘ol UNLV.” Aaron chuckled. “But we’re a few years apart, so we actually didn’t meet until the end of my senior year. Nick here was as fresh-faced as could be.” He said, squeezing Nick’s shoulder. “Scrawny too. But he had big dreams for himself, and he let everyone know it.”   
“That sounds about right.” Zak chuckled, smiling at Nick.   
“So I took him under my wing.” Aaron continued.   
“He invited me to frat parties.” Nick corrected.   
“That’s called showing you the ropes. It’s because of me that you can handle your liquor.” Aaron said.   
“Yeah, getting me drunk and leaving me in the desert was definitely an important life experience.” Nick chided.  
“Hey, I came back for you the next day, didn’t I?” Aaron chuckled.   
“The next _day_?” Zak asked, eyes wide.   
“It was pretty early in the day.” Aaron said, “It would have been earlier if I hadn’t forgotten where we’d left him.” He chuckled. “Man, we were assholes back then.”   
“You say that like it’s a past tense thing.” Nick chuckled. “You’re still an asshole.”  
“Fair enough!” Aaron laughed. “Hey, I’m gonna go get a beer. You guys need anything?”  
“No, no, no. I got this round.” Nick said, standing from his stool. “You two hang out and get to know each other.”  
“Okay.” Aaron said, sitting back down.   
Zak shot a nervous glance at Nick. He hated forced conversation with people he barely knew. He felt awkward and could never think of anything to say. Nick gave him a reassuring smile before making his way to the bar.   
“So how did you and Nick meet?” Aaron asked, thankfully taking the reins.   
“At a party, actually. I was trying to talk to this girl and I got shot down and he was watching. So of course, he had to say something about it.” Zak chuckled, remembering how annoying Nick had been during that first conversation.   
“He’s one to talk. I’ve seen him get shot down more than once.” Aaron laughed.  
“Oh yeah?” Zak said curiously.   
“Yep. Once while he was drunk he took his shirt off and walked up to this girl at a party and said, ‘You like what you see?’. I kid you not. It was hilarious.”  
“I take it she didn’t like what she saw?” Zak laughed. He couldn’t imagine Nick doing something like that. But it was definitely funny to think about.  
“A scrawny little pasty dude? Let’s just say she was less-than-impressed.” Aaron chuckled.  
“He told me he was a little guy...I didn’t believe him.” Zak said.   
“Oh yeah, he was real skinny. Super athletic though. He could out-run just about anyone.”  
“He can still do that.” Zak chuckled. “He forced me to go running the other day. It was terrible.”  
“Yeah, he can be pretty persuasive!” Aaron agreed.  
Nick walked back up to the table grinning. Zak noticed he was balancing three beers and three shots.  
“Oh no…” he groaned.   
“And we’re about to take these shots whether we like it or not.” Aaron laughed.   
“Damn right!” Nick said happily.   
“See. Persuasive.” Aaron said to Zak.   
“You’re not wrong.” Zak agreed, reaching out accept a shot from Nick. He liked Aaron. He seemed pretty chill and laid back. Exactly how Nick had described him. But he couldn’t help but feel a little jealous of their friendship. They’d clearly known each other longer and it seemed like Aaron knew Nick really well. He knew it shouldn’t make him jealous, but it did.  
“So what are we toasting to, man?” Aaron asked.   
“To new friends, I guess!” Nick said, raising his glass.   
“And to living with no regrets.” Zak joked. Nick laughed and Zak was glad the younger man remembered his sarcastic toast from the first time they’d met.  
“I can get behind that!” Aaron said, oblivious to their inside joke.  
They raised their shots to the center before knocking them back, all three inhaling sharply as the amber liquid burned its way down their throats.   
“Damn, dude. What is that, battery acid?” Aaron joked.   
“What do you think, I’m made of money?” Nick laughed. “Zak and I are funding a documentary here.”  
“Oh, that’s right!” Aaron said. “How’s that going?”  
“Pretty well!” Nick said, excitedly. “We’ve admittedly had a few...bumps. But overall, I think we’re gonna have a really interesting film at the end of it.”  
“Nick was telling me about your experiences.” Aaron said, turning to face Zak. “That must have been crazy. I would have shit myself.”  
“I almost did the first time I saw her!” Zak laughed. “I’d never seen anything like that before. It was definitely pretty unsettling.”  
“And how long have you been living like that?” Aaron asked.  
“Three years, dude.” Nick said to Aaron.  
Zak couldn’t help but smile at the way Nick said it. It almost seemed like the younger man was proud of him.   
“Damn...that’s a long time. So you and this ghost must get along pretty well then.” Aaron said.   
“Kind of.” Zak said, feeling anxiety bubbling in his stomach. “Until recently at least.”  
Nick could tell Zak was feeling uncomfortable. He was still pretty shaken up about what had happened earlier that week but he was doing his best to hide it.   
“I kind of pissed her off earlier this week and she got pretty violent with Zak.” Nick said, stepping in.   
“Oh shit. No way!” Aaron said, leaning in closer.   
“It’s wasn’t Nick’s fault.” Zak said, shaking his head. “It wasn’t your fault.” he said, seriously. “We ended up tracking down her name and we decided to try calling her out directly. It...didn’t go well.”  
“What happened? If you don’t mind me asking.” Aaron asked.   
“I don’t mind.” Zak said. He was going to have to talk about it at some point for the camera, so might as well. “She sort of choked me.” he said.  
“Oh, shit!” Aaron exclaimed.   
“Yeah, it was pretty crazy.” he said.   
“And you’re still living there?” Aaron asked, clearly shocked.   
“Well, um...I’ve actually been-”  
“He’s been staying with me.” Nick cut in. “There’s no way he could stay there. Not after that.”  
“Yeah, no kidding…” Aaron said, shaking his head.   
“And that’s not all either.” Nick added. “So we go back there the other day to get Zak’s inhaler. The whole place is ransacked. I mean, furniture everywhere. Pictures ripped from the walls. This is a really powerful spirit we’re working with.”  
“Man. That’s intense. What are you gonna do?” Aaron asked.   
“We’re not sure yet.” Zak said. “We wanna try to find a way to tell this spirit’s story. So maybe she can find peace.”  
“But we’re not really sure how to do that.” Nick said. “I mean, we can tell the story. We have enough to do that. It’s the peace part where we’re coming up dry. We thought calling her out by name was gonna do it. Show her that she wasn’t forgotten. That her pain wasn’t forgotten. But it only pissed her off.”   
“She’s always been violent though.” Zak reasoned. “She scratched the shit out of Nick earlier in filming. And she made him sick. She hates anyone she feels jealous of.”  
“Wait, and she feels jealous of Nick?” Aaron asked, confused.   
Zak hadn’t even meant to say it. He hadn’t ever really even said it out loud. But it seemed obvious to him. Mary Ann had only ever attacked the people Zak slept with. She was jealous of Nick because she saw him as a potential romantic partner. It was like the spirit could tell Zak was attracted to Nick. But the spirit didn’t need to worry...nothing was going to happen on that front.   
“Oh, um…” Zak stuttered, flicking his eyes to the younger man who looked a little uncomfortable. Zak could feel his face going warm as he struggled to think of something to make it better. “I think she just got confused because I’ve brought men home before. So I think she thinks Nick is one of _those_ kinds of guests.”  
“Oh.” Aaron said, suddenly realizing his mistake. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were gay.”  
“That’s okay.” Zak said dismissively. “I’m actually bisexual.”  
“Oh, got it.” Aaron said nonchalantly.   
Zak smiled, pleased with how entirely indifferent Aaron was to his sexuality.   
“So this ghost lady thinks Nick is your boyfriend, huh?” Aaron chuckled. “That’s too good, man.”   
Zak chuckled nervously. It hurt to think that Aaron found the idea of him and Nick to be so far-fetched. Zak knew Nick was straight, but he didn’t need to be reminded of how impossible it was that they could ever be together.  
“Yeah…” Zak said uncomfortably. “I need another beer.” He said, standing and draining his current bottle. “You guys need anything?”  
“Still workin’ on mine.” Nick said. His bottle was still half full and Aaron had hardly touched his yet.   
“Ok, well, I’ll be right back.”   
Zak made his way to the bar feeling stupid. He was letting himself get all twisted up over Nick. He knew it had to stop, but he didn’t know what to do. He’d never felt so drawn to anyone before and it was really starting to mess with him.   
“Hey there.” he heard from behind the bar. The voice pulled him from his thoughts and he looked up to see a tall, handsome man smiling back at him.  
“Hey…” Zak said, automatically returning the smile.   
“I saw you over there laughing with your friends. I was hoping you’d come order something.” The man said. His voice was smooth as silk and Zak felt his throat go dry as he looked at him.   
“Oh yeah? Why’s that?” He asked, leaning in against the bar.  
“So I could see those pretty blue eyes up close.”   
Zak swallowed hard. This guy was pretty slick. Not to mention hot. He was exactly the kind of guy Zak usually invited back to his apartment for a little fun.   
“Zak.” he said, holding his hand out to shake.  
“Peter.” the man said, taking Zak’s hand in his own and holding it longer than necessary. “So what can I get you, Zak?”   
“Your number for starters.” Zak said with a grin. “And a beer.” He was flirting hard. Harder than he wanted to, really. But he needed the distraction.   
“Coming right up.” Peter smiled back before turning to grab the beer.   
With Peter’s back to him, he felt the smile fall from his face. He wasn’t Nick. But he would do for right now.   
“Your beer.” Peter said, placing the frosty bottle in front of Zak. He grabbed for a scrap of paper and a pen, scribbling down his phone number and handing it off to Zak.   
Zak smiled, reaching for his wallet.   
“It’s on me.” Peter said. “You can pay me back by using that.” he said, nodding to the paper.   
“Okay. I will.” Zak said, practically batting his eyelashes before turning to walk back toward the table.   
“See you later, blue eyes.” Peter called after him. Zak felt his cheeks flush and he took a drink of his beer needing something to do with his hands as he walked back to the table.  
“Damn, dude!” Aaron said with an approving nod. “I’ve never seen anyone lock down a phone number that fast.   
“Yeah, that’s gotta be a record or something.” Zak chuckled, flicking his eyes toward Nick.  
Nick stared at his beer feeling uncomfortable. He didn’t like the way the bartender looked at Zak like prey. As if he was just a piece of meat ready for consumption. He took a long drink of his beer, nearly draining the bottle. And the way Zak had leaned in... clearly he had enjoyed the attention. It sent Nick’s insides twisting. He didn’t know _why_ he was pissed off. He just was. There was something about that bartender. He just didn’t like him. Not for Zak. He took another drink, draining his bottle.   
“I could have gotten you one while I was up there.” Zak said, nodding toward the bottle.  
“That’s okay.” Nick said. “I can get my own. You ready for another one, Aaron?”  
“Sure, man. But I can get this round.” Aaron said.   
“I got it.” Nick assured, standing from the table and walking toward the bar.   
He made a beeline for the bartender, leaving Zak and Aaron to exchange confused glances.   
“What can I get you?” Peter asked.   
“We’ll take another round and a bottle of Jack.” Nick said.  
Now that he was closer, he used the opportunity to take a good look at Peter. He was tall. Dark hair, dark eyes. Nick guessed he was attractive in a _conventional_ sort of way. But if he had to be honest, he didn’t think there was much going on upstairs.  
“So two beers?” Peter asked.  
Yup. Not much going on.   
“Three. And a bottle of Jack with three glasses.” Nick said coldly. He knew he was being an asshole, but he didn’t care.   
“Blue eyes finished his beer already?”  
“Nope. But I’m buying him his next one.” Nick said with a glare.   
“Okay…” Peter said, clearly sensing Nick’s tone. “That’ll be 40 bucks.”  
Nick slapped some cash on the counter while Peter got the drinks together.   
“You need some help getting those back to the table?”  
“I’ll manage.” Nick said, flipping the glasses to rest over the lid of the bottle and grabbing the three beer bottles by the neck with his other hand.  
“A bottle?” Zak chuckled as Nick approached the table balancing the drinks. “I’m getting too old for this shit, man.”  
“It’s cheaper than going to the bar to buy shots all night.” Nick reasoned, passing out the glasses and filling them up.   
“Yeah, but if Zak can’t go up to the bar, how’s he gonna mack on his new man candy?” Aaron teased.   
Zak chuckled. He liked how comfortable Aaron seemed joking around with him. Nick was right, there was a good chemistry between them. He smiled at Nick and the younger man dropped his eyes uncomfortably. Something was bugging him and Zak wasn’t sure what it was.   
“So, when do you think you’re gonna wrap on this documentary?” Aaron asked.   
“I don’t know.” Zak said. “Nick and I have been going through all the film and he thinks we’ve got just about everything we need. He’s the expert editor, so I leave those kinds of decisions to him.” he said, trying to pull a smile from the younger man.  
“I’m hardly an _expert_.” Nick said grumpily.   
“I don’t know, you’re pretty good, man.” Zak said seriously. “Aaron have you see that film he made for his senior project?”  
“Oh yeah! That one was great. That one shot-”  
“Of the tree?” Zak interrupted.  
“Yes! Pretty genius.”  
Zak snuck a peek at Nick and was pleased to see a small smile playing across his face. Hopefully whatever was upsetting him had passed.   
“I’d say we’re like 90 percent of the way with this film.” Nick said, finally joining in the conversation. “I was telling Zak, we just need that last scene, you know. A way to close out his story with this spirit. She’s obviously attached to him and hopefully we can provide some kind of closure through it all.”  
“Same old Nick.” Aaron smiled, nodding his head in approval. “Always searching for that bigger story.”  
“That’s what makes him so great at what he does.” Zak said. He knew he was probably gushing a little too much, but he didn’t care. It was the truth. And the way Nick smiled back at him with those beautiful chocolate eyes...it was enough to make his head spin.  
“Once it’s done, you’re definitely invited for the launch party.” Nick said to Aaron.  
“There’s gonna be a launch party?” Zak asked surprised.   
“Well sure. I mean, this was a hell of a lot of work. We both got beaten up pretty bad, all your stuff is in shambles all over your apartment. We deserve a party.” Nick declared. “Plus, it wouldn’t be bad to get a little buzz going. See if there’s anything that needs tweaking before we shop it out.”  
“Yeah, I guess I hadn’t thought about it like that.” Zak said. “We could go all out, rent a projector and one of those popcorn machines....”  
“Yeah, that would be fun.” Nick said, smiling at the way Zak’s eyes lit up.   
“I’ve always wanted to rent one of those machines.” Zak said happily.   
“I love that _that’s_ what you’re most excited about.” Nick laughed, sipping his whiskey.   
“I mean, it’s pretty exciting!” Zak argued.  
“I agree, man.” Aaron said. “I’ve always wanted to go to party with one of those things.”  
“Well, you’ll be at this one!” Zak nodded. 

About an hour, and most of a bottle of Jack later, Nick was feeling better. He was just the right amount of tipsy to pretend that Peter didn’t exist and that Zak’s eyes weren’t trailing over to the bartender every few minutes. And every time he _did_ see it, he just took another drink from his glass. The system had been working pretty well so far. But soon, they’d be out of whiskey.   
“So you’re telling me you actually believe in bigfoot?” Zak asked Aaron inquisitively.   
“Sure. I mean, I don’t see how it’s all the different from you believing in ghosts.” Aaron argued. “There’s enough people out there who have claimed to see these things, it seems hard to ignore the possibility that they exist.”  
“So how come we’ve never found any bigfoot remains laying around?” Zak asked.   
“When’s the last time you saw a dead body on the street?” Nick asked. His question was met with two confused looks and he realized he probably hadn’t finished explaining himself. The whiskey was definitely kicking in. “Listen. If bigfoots are real, then they’re one of the most elusive creatures on the planet. There’s actually a lot of people who believe they bury their dead just like humans. They’re smart. They’re not just gonna leave one of their own out to decompose.”  
“You know, Nick. For someone as drunk as you, that was actually pretty eloquent, man.” Zak said, with a squeeze to Nick’s shoulder.   
“Hey, I’m not _that_ drunk.” Nick objected.   
“Then that bottle of Jack must have sprung a leak.” Zak teased.   
“Whatever, dude. I’m gonna go get us some more beers.” Nick said, standing from his stool. His legs felt heavy and he took a second to adjust to the sensation. The last thing he wanted to do was stumble and prove Zak right.   
“I’m still working on mine.” Zak said, hand shooting out to steady the younger man as he swayed. “Why don’t you have a seat and switch to water for a little bit?”   
“I’m fine _mom_.” Nick joked. It sounded funnier in his head.   
“I’m just trying to save you from the headache you’ve got coming your way.” Zak reasoned. He wasn’t sure when Nick had managed to drink all that whiskey, but he was wasted. Zak had never seen him like this before.   
“How we doin’ over here? Everybody good?” Peter asked, appearing out of nowhere.   
“Shouldn’t you be behind the bar?” Nick asked point-blank.   
“I _should_.” Peter chuckled, clearly missing the rudeness in Nick’s tone. “But I thought I’d come over real quick and make sure everyone’s good on drinks.”  
Nick didn’t miss the way Peter’s eyes went to Zak as he spoke. Or the way Zak smiled back, cheeks flushing lightly from the attention. Nick felt his stomach churn as he watched.  
“I’ll take another beer.” Nick interrupted, anxious to get Peter away from their table.  
“Nothing for me.” Aaron said.  
“What about you, blue eyes?” Peter asked, his hand resting comfortably on Zak’s shoulder.   
“I think I’m good too. Thanks.” Zak said with a quick smile.   
“Okay. I’ll be right back with that beer.” He said before making his way back toward the bar.   
“Talk about _clingy_!” Nick said, flopping back onto his stool.  
“What do you mean?” Zak asked.   
“The bartender. Could he be more desperate to get in your pants?” Nick said, pouring himself some more whiskey.   
“He seems nice.” Aaron said with a shrug.  
Nick shot the man daggers. Whose side was he on anyway?  
“He _seems_ like a douchebag.” Nick said.  
“Hey, that’s not fair.” Zak said, feeling annoyed. “You don’t even know him.”   
“And you do?” Nick asked.   
“Well, no. But maybe I’d like to.” Zak argued.  
“Why?” Nick asked. “What do you even see in him.”  
“Quiet, Nick. He’s gonna hear you.” Zak shushed as Peter made his way back to the table with Nick’s beer.   
“So what if he does.” Nick mumbled.   
“Here’s your beer. Everyone still good?” Peter asked brightly.   
“Great, thanks!” Zak said, anxious for Peter to leave before Nick embarrassed him.   
“Okay. Well, you know where I’ll be.” Peter said with a wink directed at Zak before heading back to the bar.   
Nick rolled his eyes. He wished he’d chosen a different bar. This Peter guy was on his last nerve.   
“What, Nick? What?” Zak asked, noticing the eye roll. He didn’t understand what had crawled up Nick’s ass but he wasn’t a fan.  
“Nothing. It’s just the way he calls you ‘ _blue eyes_ ’. Your name is _Zak_. He should call you by your name. Unless he’s already forgotten it.”  
“Oh, so I’m that forgettable. Thanks…” Zak said, feeling wounded.   
“No. You’re not.” Nick said sincerely. “He’s just that dumb.”  
“Fine. I get it. You don’t like him.” Zak huffed.  
“No, I don’t. I don’t think he’s right for you.” Nick said seriously.   
“Oh yeah? Who would you choose for me, Nick?” Zak asked.  
Nick froze as Zak’s eyes pierced his own. He stared back, unsure of what to say. There wasn’t anyone he wanted Zak to be with. No one seemed good enough to deserve him.   
“I don’t...I don’t know.” Nick said truthfully. “Someone more like Aaron.”  
“Woah...no offense, Zak. You’re a handsome dude and all, but I’m strictly into women.” Aaron said.  
“No worries.” Zak chuckled.   
“You know what I mean.” Nick said. “Just someone nicer. Someone who wants to get to know you _before_ they try to sleep with you.”  
“You know that’s never really been my style.” Zak said with a shrug.   
“Well, maybe it should be.” Nick said.   
His chocolate brown eyes were swimming with sincerity and Zak was somewhere between feeling frustrated and flattered. It was clear that Nick cared about him. And Zak was beyond grateful for his friendship. But he wasn’t looking at Peter as a potential relationship. He was just a distraction; someone to fill the void left by Nick. But he couldn’t risk telling Nick that. He needed him and he’d settle for friendship if it was all he could have.  
“Maybe it should be.” Zak echoed with a smile.   
“That’s all I’m saying.” Nick said, standing from his stool. “Now I gotta go pee. And when I get back, I want to see both of you with a new beer. Get on my level!” He said, stumbling slightly as he made his way from the table. He needed a second alone to try and wrap his brain around everything. He didn’t know if it was the alcohol or what, but he wasn’t feeling like himself tonight. It wasn’t like him to cockblock a friend like that. He knew Zak wasn’t a relationship guy. So he wanted to have a little fun? So what? Why did it bother him so much? Zak should be able to do _whatever_ he wanted with _whoever_ he wanted without Nick getting all...jealous. He froze as he put a word to the feeling. Was that what he was? Jealous? It definitely felt like jealousy now that he took a moment to consider it. But what he couldn’t figure out was who he was jealous of. Did it bother him more that Zak had someone to flirt with and he didn’t or that the person Zak was flirting with _wasn’t hi_ m. He splashed some water on his face. He’d had way too much to drink and it was starting to mess with his mind. He didn’t want to think about this right now. Not when he was this drunk. He’d deal with it tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a BEAST to write. It's almost twice as long as the others because I couldn't get these guys to stop talking! And I didn't even get to finish what I had planned, so the next chapter will pick up back at the bar. 
> 
> I've been waiting to get to this chapter since I started writing this beast-of-a-story and I'm pretty happy with how it's turned out so far! Hopefully you are too!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick suggests they all head back to his place for some drinks and things get awkward.

Nick grunted into the kiss. He was drunk and it felt good to have hands on his body. He pressed into the warmth, as the hands grazed up his chest. It had been a long time since he’d made out like this, pressed up against someone in some dark corner. It was late, and the crowd at the bar were all too drunk to care anyway. He wrapped his arms around her back, pulling her in tight as they continued to move their lips together. He knew he’d probably be a little embarrassed about this later. It wasn’t like him to do this with someone he’d just met.   
Sarah...or was it Sonia? He realized he couldn’t remember. He barely even remembered his conversation with her before they’d ended up this way. But he was pretty sure he’d never be able to forget the way Peter had moved in, pressing Zak against the side of the pool table before bringing their lips together. _That_ would be burned in his mind forever. But he wasn’t thinking about that right now. He was just going to focus his attention on S-...whatever her name was. He pulled back, taking a second to catch his breath. He scanned the room, noticing Zak sitting alone at the bar.   
“Something wrong?” the woman asked, running her hands over Nick’s arms.  
“What? No. Just need a minute.” Nick said. “ I’m gonna go get some water. You want anything?”  
“I’ll come with you.” She said.  
“No, that’s okay. I’ll be right back. Wanna pick another song from the jukebox?” Nick suggested.   
“Sure.” She said brightly. “Hurry back.”   
“Yeah, okay.” Nick said, already walking away. He made his way up to the bar, sliding up next to Zak who sat quietly drinking his beer.   
“Where’s your _boyfriend?_ ” He asked sarcastically.   
Zak looked over, finding Nick’s eyes with his own and the younger man could tell he was upset. He felt like an ass. He’d said his piece when it came to Peter and he didn’t need to keep rubbing Zak’s nose in it.   
“Sorry, man.” He said. “You know I’m just messing with you, right?”   
“No, you’re not.” Zak said, lowering his eyes back to his beer. “But what I don’t understand is how you can get mad at _me_ for flirting with Peter and then next thing you know, you’re over there groping _Susan_ like a damn teenager.”   
“I’m sorry, Zak. I just don’t like him.” Nick said, matter-of-factly.   
“Yeah, you’ve made that abundantly clear.” he said, taking a drink from his bottle. “But you know what? He’s nice and he’s attractive and he’s _interested_ in me. And you didn’t stop to consider that maybe _I_ liked him. Maybe I need a little fun...you know? These past few months have been really draining. And it’s been hard...I just needed a distraction.”   
Nick nodded. He understood that. Zak had gone through a lot, especially in the past few weeks. He couldn’t imagine how stressful it must be for the older man to have to sleep on his couch and wear his clothes.   
“I’m sorry, man. I didn’t think about it like that.” Nick said, honestly. “I know you’ve got a lot to deal with and I’m sure I’m no picnic to live with. I get it.” He still didn’t like it, but he understood.  
“Thanks.” Zak said, smiling gratefully. “But for the record, staying with you is the only thing keeping me sane right now.”  
Nick smiled. It felt nice to know that he wasn’t adding to Zak’s stress.   
“Okay, I’ll go easier on him.” Nick said, reluctantly.  
Zak smiled back appreciatively.   
“I can’t promise we’re gonna be best friends…” Nick added, because he still didn’t like the guy at all. But for Zak, he could be a little nicer to him.   
“Good. I don’t want you to be best friends with him.” Zak smirked. Nick was _his_ best friend. And he knew it was childish, but he didn’t want to share him.   
“There you are.” Peter said, snaking an arm around Zak’s shoulders. “I just got my ass handed to me. Is Aaron some kind of pool shark or something?”  
“He’s good, right?” Nick said, trying desperately to ignore Peter’s arm around Zak.   
“That’s an understatement!” Peter laughed. “So, I get off in a couple minutes.” he said, eyes focused on Zak. “You wanna get out of here? Go back to my place?”  
Nick felt his stomach twist into knots. He knew he promised to be nicer to Peter, but he didn’t like this.  
“Oh…” Zak said, awkwardly, eyes shifting toward Nick.   
“I was gonna see if you guys wanted to head back to the apartment for some more drinks.” Nick lied. He was desperate to keep Zak from leaving with Peter. “I was gonna invite Aaron and Sonia too.”   
“You mean Susan?” Zak asked with a smirk.  
“Yeah, Susan.” He said, blushing a little. “I thought it would be fun to have everyone hang out together. If you want.” he added with the most nonchalant shrug he could muster.   
“Oh.” Zak said, surprised. So apparently Susan was sticking around. “What do you think?” He asked, turning to face Peter.  
“I mean, if _you_ want to…” Peter said with a shrug.   
“Yeah, come on. It’ll be fun.” Nick said.   
“Okay.” Zak smiled. He couldn’t decide what was worse, leaving and having to wonder what happened between Nick and Susan, or staying and knowing for sure. At least this way things couldn’t go too far.   
“Great.” Nick said. “Let’s do it.”

They pulled up outside Nick’s apartment a little later. The ride over had admittedly been awkward. Aaron had offered to drive everyone since he hadn’t had much to drink which left Nick sitting shotgun and Susan in the back seat between Zak and Peter. Nick smiled smugly to himself at how that had worked out. But now everyone was quiet and he knew he needed to get the energy up.   
“Well, come on up. There’s plenty of beer and the liquor cabinet’s full.” Nick said, leading the group up the stairs. “Maybe our master DJ can get some music going?”   
“Sure.” Zak said with a smile.   
“I didn’t know you were a DJ?” Peter asked, surprised.   
“He _was_.” Nick corrected. “ _Now_ he’s a documentary film maker.”  
Zak grinned to himself. He liked the sounds of that.   
“Oh…” Peter said, clearly confused.   
“I’ll explain later.” Zak said with a quick pat to his arm.   
“Let me give you the grand tour.” Nick said, leading the group into the apartment. “Over there is the kitchen. Straight ahead we have the living room slash Zak’s room.”  
“I didn’t know you guys lived together.” Susan said.   
“I didn’t either.” Peter agreed.  
“We don’t really…” Zak corrected. “I’m just staying with Nick for a while. It’s kind of a long story.”  
“Oh, okay.” Peter said.  
“Through there is my room.” Nick said. “And the bathroom is back there if anyone needs it. And that’s pretty much it, really. So get comfortable and I’ll go grab some beer.”   
He made his way to the kitchen and as he opened the fridge he felt an arm snake around his hips. He jumped, turning to find Susan smiling up at him. He couldn’t help but notice the way her eyes were slightly glazed over from alcohol. But he was pretty sure he wasn’t one to talk.  
“Nice place.” She said, moving in closer. “I can’t wait to see your bedroom.”   
She ran a hand down Nick’s torso, coming up on her toes to bring their lips together as her hand continued its descent.   
“Woah.” Nick said, pulling away in surprise as her hand found its target. “Everyone’s right out there.” He said as he tried to decide if he even wanted to stop this. It felt good and he wanted to feel good.  
Susan nipped at his ear and the sensation had him leaning back against the open refrigerator as his body pressed into her hands. She brought their lips back together, swallowing any protests Nick thought about making.   
“You need any help-” Zak’s voice interrupted. “Shit. Sorry.” he said, awkwardly. But he couldn’t bring himself to move from the doorway. He couldn’t look away from the two of them, pressed up against each other like that. Nick’s cheeks were flushed red and the lust in his eyes was painful to look at. “I was just gonna see if you needed any help with the beer. Sorry.” Zak said, turning to leave the room.   
“It’s okay, man.” Nick called after him. “Shit…” He said, pulling away from Susan.   
“That was awkward.” She laughed.   
“Yeah…” Nick agreed. He took a breath attempting to collect himself.   
“We could continue this in your room?” Susan suggested.   
“Yeah, um. Maybe a little bit later? I just want to make sure everyone’s all set with drinks and stuff.”   
“Yeah, of course.” she said. “Why don’t I take the beer out there while you...get yourself situated.” she offered.   
“Thanks.” Nick smiled gratefully. Susan was sweet and he wished he’d met her under different circumstances. Ones that didn’t make him feel like a jerk.  
“No problem.” she said, grabbing some bottles and heading out to the living room.   
Nick leaned against the counter, pinching his eyes shut. What the hell was going on with him tonight? He had invited all these people over. And for what? So he could keep Zak from having sex with Peter? The whole thing seemed ridiculous. It wasn’t like he could do this every time Zak wanted to hook up with someone he didn’t like. And then to get caught like that with Susan...he felt like a hypocrite. He was embarrassed, but he knew the longer he lingered in the kitchen, the more awkward it would be to face Zak. He took a deep breath before walking back out to the living room. Zak sat on the couch next to Peter who had an arm slung over his shoulder as he and Aaron talked animatedly about some video game.   
Nick’s eyes found his and Zak dropped his gaze quickly. He felt hurt and he knew he didn’t have a right to. But he did and he didn’t want Nick to see it in his eyes. His stomach burned with jealousy. He drank his beer quickly, trying hard to swallow the lump in his throat. He’d done this to himself. Nick wasn’t his and he knew that. But seeing him with someone else was more than he could handle. He leaned into Peter, wrapping an arm behind him. Peter turned to give him a grin, and Zak tried his best to return it earnestly. Peter pulled him in closer and Zak tried to lose himself in the warmth of his touch.   
“Did I mention how happy I am that you came into the bar tonight?” Peter asked with a smile.   
“A couple times.” Zak chuckled. “Me too.” he added for good measure.   
Peter leaned in, bringing their lips together and Zak kissed back, happily accepting whatever affection he could get.   
Nick felt his stomach flip as Zak’s arms wrapped around Peter’s neck. He diverted his eyes, finding Aaron watching him from across the room. He made his way over, plastering a smile on his face.   
“Hey, man.” he said, pulling a chair over and taking a seat next to him. “I’m glad you came out tonight.”  
“Yeah. Me too.” Aaron said. “I’m happy I finally got to meet Zak. He seems like a really cool guy.”  
“Yeah, he is.” Nick agreed, eyes briefly shifting over to find Zak still wrapped up in Peter’s arms.   
“It seems like you guys have been spending a lot of time together.”   
“Yeah, I guess we have.” Nick admitted, eyes still shifting over to Zak every few seconds. “Between filming and research and now Zak’s living situation...we pretty much spend all our time together these days. Why? You jealous?” Nick asked with a grin.   
“No.” Aaron chuckled. “Just curious…”   
Nick gave him a confused look, trying to figure out what he was getting at. But before he could ask, Susan made her way over, resting her arm across Nick’s shoulders.   
“What are you guys talking about over here?” She asked, extending a cold beer toward Nick.   
“Thanks.” he said, grabbing for it and lifting it to his lips.   
“Nothing really.” Aaron said. “Just shootin’ the shit.”  
“Could they be any cuter?” She said, nodding toward Zak and Peter who had finally taken a break from kissing. “You guys are seriously adorable.”   
Zak smiled uncomfortably. He hadn’t realized he was being watched.  
“How long have you two been together?” Susan asked, moving between Nick’s legs and taking a seat on his thigh. Her arms still wrapped comfortably around Nick’s neck.  
“They just met tonight.” Nick said, unable to stop himself from interjecting.   
“Oh.” Susan said, surprised. “You could have fooled me! You guys would make a beautiful couple.”  
“Yeah, I think we would.” Peter said, smiling into Zak’s eyes.  
Zak smiled back, feeling his cheeks warm. Peter was sweet, but all he could think about was what Nick had said earlier about him being clingy.   
“You guys are pretty cute too.” Peter said. “It was hard to miss how _enthusiastic_ you were at that bar.”   
Nick couldn’t help feeling like it was a veiled insult. But Susan didn’t seem to mind, and she giggled happily.   
“What can I say, he’s a really good kisser.” She said, leaning in for a quick peck to Nick’s lips.   
Nick smirked at the compliment, meeting Peter’s eyes daringly.   
“So how about you, Aaron?” Zak asked, desperate to talk about something other than Nick’s lips. “Are you seeing anyone?”  
“Yeah, I’ve got a special lady friend.” He said with a nod.  
“You do?” Nick asked. It was news to him and he felt bad for not having thought to ask earlier.  
“You sound so surprised, dude.” Aaron chuckled.   
“No, man. I just didn’t know!” Nick said. “What’s her name?”  
“Erika. She’s really sweet. We’ve been together for a couple months now, actually.” Aaron said and Nick noticed the way he smiled when he said her name.   
“No shit…” Nick smiled. He was happy for Aaron. He hadn’t always had the best luck with women and he’d gotten his heart broken more than once over the years. “Dude, you should have said something. I want to meet her. Call her and get her over here!”   
“Dude, it’s like 2am…” Aaron laughed.   
“So?” Nick said.   
“So...I’m not trying to have her break up with me for calling her and waking her up in the middle of the night.” Aaron chuckled.   
“Okay, okay. I don’t wanna be responsible for that.” Nick said with a chuckle. “Next time.”  
“Sure thing, man.” Aaron smiled.   
“I still can’t believe you didn’t tell me.” Nick said.   
“Well, you haven’t exactly been around much…” Aaron shrugged.  
Nick felt bad. But Aaron was right. He’d been really preoccupied with Zak and their project, he hadn’t really even checked in with Aaron outside of work.  
“That’s probably my fault.” Zak admitted. “I’ve been keeping him really busy these past few months.”  
Aaron shook his head dismissively. He had never been one to talk seriously about his feelings, and Nick knew that it must have been bothering him a lot for him to say something.  
“I’m sorry, man. I just got caught up in this project and I should have checked in. I’m gonna be better about that from now on.” Nick promised.   
“Don’t worry about it, bro.” Aaron reassured him. “I’m happy for you. I think the two of you stumbled onto something really great.” He said, looking toward Zak. “I’m telling you, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Nick so excited about anything before. This film is clearly gonna be something special.”  
Zak smiled, shifting his gaze to Nick who smiled back warmly, his dark eyes making Zak’s head swim. He felt Peter’s arm wrap around his shoulders, pulling him in.  
“Well, I for one can’t wait to see this film.” Peter said.   
Nick didn’t miss the way his arm wrapped around Zak possessively. Did this guy really think that Zak was his? They’d only known each other for a few hours and he was already talking like he’d be around when they finished the movie. Nick couldn’t help but hope he’d be long gone by then.   
“When does it premiere?” he asked.   
“Not for a while. Zak and I still have a lot of work to do on it.” Nick said. “Not sure you’ll be around.” He snapped. He couldn’t help it. He tried to be nice, but this guy was impossible.   
“Nick…” Zak scolded.   
“What’s your problem with me, man?” Peter asked, voice raising.   
“Who says I got a problem?” Nick asked.  
“From the moment I met you, you were on my ass. Clearly you’ve got an issue with me. What is it? Are you mad because I stole your boyfriend?” Peter spat.   
“Dude, I don’t even know what the fuck you’re talking about.” Nick said dismissively. He worked to keep the blood from rising to his cheeks.   
“Guys, come on. That’s enough.” Zak said. He was mortified.   
“I think you’re afraid that I’m gonna move in on your buddy Zak here, and he’s gonna like me better. “ Peter said, not backing down.   
“Peter, that’s enough. I mean it.” Zak warned.   
“Trust me, man. You’re the _last_ thing I’m worried about.” Nick lied.   
“Not from where I’m sitting.” Peter said, grip growing tighter around Zak.   
Nick’s blood boiled at the challenge. He’d had too much to drink and he needed to get out of here before he said something. He worried that Peter’s words were hitting home and his mind raced as he tried to make sense of what that meant.   
“Well, as fun as this has been, I think me and Susan are gonna call it a night.” Nick said, moving to stand from the chair. “Aaron, thanks for coming by buddy. I’ll give you a call later this week.”  
“Yeah, okay…” Aaron said, clearly feeling awkward.   
“Nick…” Zak said. He didn’t know what to say.   
“I’m sorry, Zak. I tried to be nice.” Nick said, unable to meet the older man’s eyes. He grabbed Susan’s hand and she followed him into the bedroom closing the door behind them.   
Zak sat quietly, feeling his heart crack open. He was embarrassed and he was pissed off. He shrugged away from Peter roughly.   
“What?” Peter asked.   
“Are you serious?” Zak scoffed. “You’re such an asshole.”   
“I’m the asshole?” Peter spat.   
“Yeah. You are. That’s my best friend! He invited you into his home and that’s how you wanna talk to him?”   
“Look, it’s been a long night. Why don’t we go back to my place and we can talk about this tomorrow?”  
“I’m sorry, are you kidding?” Zak scoffed.   
“What?”  
“I’m not going home with you.” Zak said, matter-of-factly.   
“Seriously?” Peter asked.   
Zak stared at him, unblinking. He couldn’t believe Peter actually thought he was going to sleep with him after the way he treated Nick.   
“Fuckin’ tease.” Peter said, standing abruptly from the couch and storming out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him.   
“Asshole.” Zak muttered, wishing Aaron hadn’t witnessed that conversation. But the poor guy hadn’t really had a chance to make a graceful exit.   
“You okay?” Aaron asked quietly.   
“Yeah.” Zak said. But the truth was, he was on the verge of tears. He was mad and embarrassed, but more than anything his heart broke as he thought about what was happening behind Nick’s bedroom door. “Think you could give me a ride home?”   
“Yeah, man.” Aaron said with a nod.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes it's fun to just blow everything up. I really have no words. These two!


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next morning Nick wakes up unsure of where his friendship with Zak lies. Meanwhile, Zak wrestles with his growing feelings for Nick.

Nick slowly opened his eyes. His head was pounding and his mouth was dry. He could still taste last night’s whiskey and the reminder turned his stomach. He looked over to find Susan sound asleep. She looked peaceful and pretty, wrapped up in the blankets. But Nick couldn’t help the disappointment he felt looking at her. With the haze of alcohol finally lifted, he was more than a little upset with himself. Susan was a sweet girl and Nick knew he had used her like a chess piece. And all because he had to prove that he could have a casual hookup _just like Zak_. It was stupid and he felt embarrassed. His stomach dropped as he remembered the way he had picked a fight with Peter after he promised Zak he’d be nicer. And he felt his cheeks burn as Peter’s words played over in his head. _Are you mad because I stole your boyfriend?_ What an asshole.   
He looked back over at Susan. She was still fast asleep but Nick couldn’t be in this bed anymore. He sat up carefully, not wanting to disturb her. He grabbed for his boxers, slipping into them quickly and making his way for the bedroom door. His eyes wandered to the couch, half expecting to find Zak sleeping there, nestled in the blankets. But of course he wasn’t there. Nick knew who he was with and his stomach twisted at the thought. But after the way Nick had acted, it didn’t surprise him that Zak would go home with Peter. Nick’s little get-together had only delayed the inevitable anyway. He pinched the bridge of his nose. His head was aching. He needed coffee and a greasy breakfast to soak everything up. But since he couldn’t very well leave Susan alone in his apartment, he’d have to settle for some coffee and toast. He headed to the kitchen, filling the pot and popping a couple of slices of bread in the toaster. He leaned against the counter, sipping a glass of water while he waited. He tried hard not to remember the way Zak had caught him and Susan in the kitchen the night before. The look of disappointment on his face was something Nick wasn’t going to forget anytime soon. He jumped as his toast popped up, pulling him from his thoughts. He poured himself a cup of coffee and made his way out to the living room. He flopped down on the couch, flipping the TV on and scanning through the channels mindlessly.   
He settled on a wildlife show, sinking back into the cushions. Nick smiled to himself as he realized the couch smelled like Zak’s hair products. He didn’t mind, he’d grown accustomed to the scent after so many nights of filming. He even found it a little comforting. His eyes flicked over toward Zak’s duffel bag, but it wasn’t there. He sat up, looking around the room and quickly realized that all Zak’s things were gone. His heart sank as his eyes came to rest on a stack of his t-shirts, neatly folded. A note rest on top and Nick made his way over, heart beating in his ears. 

_Nick,  
Thanks for letting me stay here these past few weeks and for letting me borrow all your stuff. I really appreciate it. But I think it’s time for me to go home and face reality now. _

_See you later,  
Zak _

The letter hit him like a ton of bricks. He’d gotten so used to having Zak around that he hadn’t stopped to consider how he’d feel when the older man moved back home. It wasn’t a good feeling. It hurt in ways he didn’t expect and he couldn’t help but think he caused it. If only he hadn’t gotten into it with Peter the night before, maybe Zak would have stayed. For the first time, he hoped Zak had really gone home with Peter. He didn’t like to think of the older man trying to sleep in that apartment alone. Not with how aggressive Mary Ann had been. He wanted to call and check in but he didn’t know if Zak was alone or if he even wanted to talk to him right now. 

“Hey.” Susan said. Nick looked up to see her wrapped in blankets, leaning against the door frame. “You’re up early.”  
“Oh, hi.” Nick said, pulling himself from his thoughts. “Yeah, I couldn’t sleep…”  
“What’s that?” Susan asked, nodding toward the letter in his hands.   
“Zak moved back home last night.” Nick explained.   
“Oh.” she said quietly. “Because of your fight with Peter?”  
“I don’t really know.” Nick shrugged. “But I’m guessing that was part of it.”  
“I’m sorry.” she said sincerely.   
“Yeah, me too.” Nick said.  
“For the record, I thought Peter was a dick.” Susan said with a smirk.   
“Thanks.” Nick chuckled.  
“So, are you gonna call him?” She asked, nodding toward the phone in Nick’s hand. He didn’t even realize he was holding it. “You should call him.”   
“I don’t even know if he wants to talk to me.” Nick said.   
“There’s only one way to find out.” Susan said, eyebrows raising.   
“I don’t know...I don’t want to _interrupt_ anything.” Nick said. His stomach turned as he considered the possibility that Zak was still with Peter and what they might be doing.   
“He’s not gonna answer unless he wants to talk to you. So at least you’ll know.” she said with a shrug. “But I think he’s gonna answer.”   
“Yeah? What makes you say that?” Nick asked.  
“I don’t know...just...a feeling, I guess. I can tell that you mean a lot to him, and I think he means a lot to you too. You shouldn’t let this Peter guy ruin your friendship.”   
Nick considered Susan’s suggestion. He had no idea what he’d say if he called. He wanted to apologize for his behavior, but he knew that in order to do that, he’d have to explain it. And he wasn’t sure that he could. He still didn’t fully understand it himself.   
“Anyway, that’s just my two cents.” Susan shrugged. She reached for her dress, slipping it on as she let the blanket fall to the floor. Nick averted his eyes, feeling uncomfortable looking at her that way now that he was no longer drunk. “But what do I know? I’m just a girl you slept with one night.” she smirked. There wasn’t any bitterness in her voice. She smiled and there was just the smallest hint of sadness in it.   
“Susan…” Nick started. He wanted to apologize. This wasn’t him and he felt awful.  
“It was really nice meeting you, Nick.” she said, making her way toward him and placing a quick kiss on his cheek. “You seem like a really great guy. I hope you and Zak figure things out.”   
“Thanks.” He said as she made her way out the door. 

Zak lay staring at the ceiling. He hadn’t slept and his eyes burned with each blink. He was exhausted, but he knew he wouldn’t sleep. He shifted on the lumpy couch. His bed would be more comfortable, but he couldn’t bring himself to go in there. He was still too afraid to face Mary Ann alone. He rubbed at his eyes, feeling the way the salt from his tears had crystallized on his cheeks. He hadn’t cried like that in a long time, and it left him with a migraine that twisted at his stomach.   
This was _exactly_ why he never let himself get attached to people. It hurt too much and it always ended in rejection. He knew from the very beginning that Nick only dated women and still he let himself fall. It was stupid and irresponsible and he knew he was risking a friendship that he _needed_. He just had to figure out how to be around Nick without letting his feelings get the best of him. Nick was _going to_ date women and Zak was going to have to find a way to survive it. That’s all there was to it. But he wasn’t there yet. And the thought of sleeping on Nick’s couch while he and Susan were in the next room together was more than he could handle right now. He pulled the blankets over his head, feeling a new wave of tears roll down his cheeks. 

Nick stood outside Zak’s apartment. When he left for his run, he hadn’t expected to end up here. But his feet had a mind of their own and now he stood on the stoop weighing his options. He’d spent the day wondering if he should reach out to Zak to see if he was okay. He wasn’t sure the older man wanted to talk to him after the way they’d left things, but Nick had never been very good at leaving things alone. He figured the worst that could happen would be that Zak would refuse to talk to him. His heart jumped in his throat at the thought, but he knew he needed to try. He couldn’t leave things this way. Zak was too important to him. He rang the doorbell and was surprised when he was buzzed up immediately. He made his way up the stairs, his heart beating in his ears. He had never been good at apologies. They made him feel too vulnerable. But he could accept when he was wrong about something and he knew he was wrong about this.  
“One second!” He heard Zak yell from behind the door. He didn’t sound mad, and Nick’s spirits lifted a bit as he waited. The door swung open and he came face-to-face with a puffy-eyed Zak.  
“You’re not my pizza.” The older man said, looking surprised.   
Nick couldn’t help but notice the way Zak’s face fell and it felt like a punch in the gut.  
“No, I’m not.” Nick said, feeling uncomfortable.   
“I thought you were the pizza guy.” Zak said, awkwardly shuffling in the doorway.   
“Yeah, I gathered that.” Nick nodded. They fell into an awkward silence. But when Zak didn’t ask him to leave, Nick cleared his throat. “So, I was hoping we could talk for a second if you aren’t busy?”  
“Yeah, sure.” Zak said, stepping back from the doorway. “Wanna sit?”  
“Sure. Thanks.” Nick said.  
Zak rushed to gather his pillow and blankets from the couch, balling them up and throwing them off to the side.   
“Sorry, the place is still kind of in shambles.” Zak said. He hadn’t bothered to straighten up since he came home, preferring to spend his time moping instead.  
Nick shook his head dismissively. It was his fault the apartment looked like this in the first place.  
“Can I get you anything? Some water or...I don’t really know what else I have....” Zak rambled.  
“I’m okay.” Nick said. “Listen, Zak. I just wanted to come by and apologize. I acted like a jerk. You asked me to give Peter and chance and I didn’t. I feel terrible about it. I was drunk and stupid... I’ll apologize the next time I see him.” Nick said, the words pouring right out of him.  
“That won’t be necessary. I doubt you’re gonna be seeing him again.” Zak said with a quick shake of his head.  
“Why? What happened?” Nick asked, picking up on Zak’s tone.   
“He got pissed because I didn’t want to go home with him after he treated you that way.” Zak said, lowering his eyes.   
“Shit...Zak, I’m sorry.” Nick said sincerely. He was happy Peter was out of the picture, but he felt badly that it was because of him.   
“Meh...it’s fine.” Zak shrugged.   
“No, it’s not. You liked him and I screwed it up”   
“I didn’t really like him that much anyway.” Zak said truthfully. “He was nice to look at, but he showed his true colors pretty quickly when he found out he wasn’t getting any.” he said with a humorless chuckle. “ I think you were probably right about him.”   
“Well, I’m still sorry.” Nick said. “And I’m really sorry you felt like you had to leave.”  
His eyes were dark and serious and Zak felt himself faltering. He wanted nothing more than to pack a bag and go back to Nick’s, but he knew it wouldn’t do him any good.   
“That’s not why I left.” Zak said.  
“Why did you?” Nick asked.   
Zak could see in his eyes that he was hurt.  
“I just...it’s like I said, I just felt like it was time to face reality. I can’t sleep on your couch forever. At some point, I have to deal with my issues.” It was a partial truth. He _did_ have to deal with his issues. Nick just didn’t need to know what they were.   
“I guess I just wish we could have talked about it first, you know?” Nick said.   
“Yeah…” Zak agreed.   
“I don’t really feel comfortable with you being here alone after...all this.” he said, gesturing around the room. “Did you sleep okay?” He asked. But he could tell from the redness in Zak’s eyes that he hadn’t.   
Zak shrugged. He felt tightness in his throat and he fought to keep his emotions even. He was exhausted both physically and emotionally and the last thing he wanted to do was cry.   
“I’m gonna take that as a no.” Nick said seriously. “Look, Zak, I get it. I get that you need to try to get back to your life. And I respect that. But you’re always welcome on my couch, okay?”  
Zak nodded, forcing his face into a smile. This was quite possibly the hardest things he’d ever had to do. In the past few weeks he’d come to rely on the safety and comfort that Nick had provided him. Nick’s house had started to feel like home. _Nick_ had started to feel like home. And here he was offering it all to Zak on a silver platter and he had to say no. It killed him, but he had to say no.   
“Thanks.” He managed. There was so much more he wanted to say, but he was afraid his voice would shake and give him away.  
“Don’t mention it.” Nick said with a smirk.  
The doorbell rang and Zak jumped out of his skin. He’d been on edge ever since he walked into the apartment the night before.   
“The pizza…” he remembered. “Wanna stay for dinner? I ordered enough for an army.” he added with a chuckle.   
“Sure.” Nick said. Truthfully, he was dreading going home to his empty apartment anyway.   
Zak paid for the pizza, returning to the couch with an armful of boxes.   
“Geez...you weren’t kidding.” Nick chuckled. “Is this the dude version of a gallon of ice cream after a breakup?”  
Zak chuckled. But he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t planning to drown his sorrows in cheese. But it had _nothing_ to do with Peter.  
“I wasn’t gonna eat this all, you know. They were having a deal…”  
“Okay.” Nick said, clearly unconvinced.   
Zak rolled his eyes, picking up his first slice and taking a big bite.  
“So, can we still meet up for breakfast and lifting and stuff?”  
“For sure.” Nick said with a smile. He was worried about that himself. “And we still have some work to do on this film. So I think you’ve still got plenty of time to get sick of me.”  
“Who said I wasn’t sick of you already?” Zak quipped.   
“So you’re really gonna stay here then?” Nick asked.   
“Yeah. I think I have to.” Zak said. But every time Nick asked him, it was harder and harder to remember why. “I have to try.”  
“Okay.” Nick nodded. “It’s gonna be quiet around the apartment without you.”   
Nick smiled sadly and Zak swore his heart would crack in half. But he had to do this. Space was the only way. He needed Nick in his life and if he wanted to keep him, he had to figure out how to fall out of love with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These boys are blind. 
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read! I know this is a beast-of-a story! I hope you're still enjoying it.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zak and Nick try to find a way to put Mary Ann at peace.

Nick sipped his coffee as he waited for Zak. They’d made plans to meet up for a quick bite before work. And as usual, the older man was running late. Nick didn’t mind though. He was glad to be waiting for Zak instead of sitting in his empty apartment eating alone. Since Zak had moved back home, things had been too quiet for him. He knew Zak had only slept on his couch for a few weeks, but somehow it had become the new normal and he found he was having a hard time adjusting back.  
Nick looked out the window just in time to see Zak crossing the street. The older man was flustered as he rushed toward the diner in his hat and sunglasses. Nick knew that look well. It’s the combination he wore when he didn’t have time to fix his hair. Nick smiled to himself wondering what Zak’s excuse would be this time.  
“Hey, man. Sorry I’m late.” Zak said, sliding into the booth. “I couldn’t find my fucking keys anywhere.”  
“No worries.” Nick smirked. “Where’d you end up finding ‘em?”  
“In the fridge.” Zak said, shaking his head. “Don’t ask…”  
“I won’t.” Nick chuckled. “I hope you don’t mind, but I ordered for you. I know you gotta get to work in a little bit.”  
“Thanks.” Zak said appreciatively, taking off his sunglasses before he dug in.  
Nick noticed the dark circles under his eyes immediately. Clearly the older man hadn’t been sleeping well. His eyes were bloodshot and puffy and Nick tried his best not to stare.  
“Late night last night?” he asked, hoping to bridge the topic without Zak getting defensive.  
“Yeah, kind of.” Zak said, self-consciously rubbing at his eyes. “I was working on some music and I just couldn’t get it right.”  
It was a white lie. He _had_ been working on music, but only because he couldn’t sleep. As it turned out, the combination of fear and heartache made it next to impossible to sleep. He’d caught an hour or so after the sun rose which was why he’d had to scramble to make it to breakfast. But he knew if he told Nick he hadn’t been sleeping, the younger man would insist he move back in. And he didn’t know if he had it in him to say no again.  
“Oh. But you’ve been sleeping okay otherwise?” Nick asked. He could tell by looking that those dark circles weren’t from one night of lost sleep, but he didn’t want to push it.  
“Yeah. It gets a little better every night.” Zak lied.  
“Good.” Nick nodded. “Any visits from Mary Ann?”  
“I haven’t seen her, but I’ve heard her moving around a bit. Nothing violent though.”  
“That’s good.” Nick said, taking a bite of his eggs. “So I was talking to Aaron the other day, and he suggested we try to sage your apartment.”  
“You really believe in that?” Zak asked curiously.  
“I don’t know…” Nick said honestly. “But I don’t see how it could do any harm.”  
“True.” Zak said.  
“I think it’s worth a try.”  
“Yeah.” Zak nodded. “I think you’re right.”  
“Good.” Nick said, happy to have some kind of plan.  
“Wanna try it tomorrow night?” Zak asked. He didn’t know how much longer he could live without sleep. And since it didn’t seem like he was going to be falling out of love with Nick anytime soon, he figured he should try to deal with his other problem. “I know it’s Saturday night…”  
“So?” Nick asked, confused.  
“Well, Saturday’s date night...I didn’t know if you had anything planned with Susan.” Zak said, trying his best to sound indifferent.  
“Oh.” Nick said, awkwardly. “Yeah...no. Nothing planned. I kinda messed that one up.”  
“Why? What happened?” Zak asked.  
“I was kind of an asshole.” Nick shrugged. “I had too much to drink and...I guess I was trying to prove something. It wasn’t really me.”  
“What were you trying to prove?” Zak asked, curiosity getting the best of him.  
Nick looked up from his plate, locking eyes with the older man as he tried to find a way to explain it.  
“I think I was trying to prove that I can let loose and have fun just like you.” Nick said. Admitting it made him feel vulnerable, but he found that he didn’t mind being vulnerable in front of Zak sometimes. “It’s just...it’s been so long since I’ve been with someone. And you do it all the time.”  
“Thanks…” Zak said, sarcastically.  
“No. I don’t mean it like that.” Nick corrected. “It’s just...you can have anyone you want. You got Peter’s number in no time, like it was nothing. And I guess I was just feeling a little envious.” He paused, letting the words sink in. He was starting to worry that he knew who he was envious of, and it wasn’t Zak. “I mean, you don’t ever have to worry that you’re not attractive enough or interesting enough because everyone you meet wants to be around you. And I guess I just wanted to try and feel like that for a night.” Nick shrugged, lowering his eyes awkwardly. “Anyway...it was a stupid. And it didn’t make me feel better.”  
Zak sat stunned. He had no idea Nick felt that way. He couldn’t imagine someone _not_ wanting to be around Nick. If he had it his way, he’d spend every minute of the day with him. And as far as his looks were concerned, Zak couldn’t remember ever seeing anything as beautiful as Nick’s face when he smiled. He couldn’t tell him any of this, of course. At least not that way. But he could still do his damnedest to get the message across.  
“You’re crazy, Nick.” Zak said seriously. The younger man’s eyes dragged up, locking with his as he continued. “In all the time I’ve known you, I’ve never met anyone who didn’t want to be around you. You’re one of the happiest people I know and it’s _infectious_. Before I met you, I was idling my way through life. I had no idea who I was, or who I wanted to be. And you forced me out of my comfort zone. You helped me realize my potential and now I know exactly what I want.” He paused, taking a moment to bite back the words that were threatening to escape his lips. “So trust me when I tell you that you don’t have to worry about anyone thinking you aren’t _interesting_ enough. And as far as whether or not you’re _attractive_ enough...as a man who likes other men...you’ve got nothing to worry about.”  
Nick felt heat crawl up his neck, spreading across his cheeks. His stomach flipped as an embarrassed laugh escaped his lips. He was flattered by Zak’s words and he felt warmth spread across his insides.  
“Thanks, man.” he said with a self-conscious smirk. He wasn’t used to having someone talk about him like that. But it felt nice.  
“Don’t mention it.” Zak grinned. Nick was red and flustered. But he was smiling and Zak soaked it in, knowing that it was slowly breaking his heart. 

The air hung heavy with tension. Nick could feel the fear rising off Zak’s body. He was putting on a brave face, but Nick knew he was panicking inside.  
“You sure you wanna do this?” he asked.  
“We gotta try something, right?” Zak said  
“Yeah, but I could do it if you want.” Nick offered. “You got the brunt of everything last time. I’ll take a turn.”  
“That’s okay.” Zak said. “I really feel like it’s gotta be me.”  
Nick knew he was right. Zak and Mary Ann clearly shared some kind of connection and if anyone was going to give her the peace she needed, it was probably going to be him.  
“Okay. Just let me know if anything changes.”  
“I will.” Zak said, taking a deep breath. “Let’s just do this.” he said, unable to wait any longer to get started.  
“You got the recorder?” Nick asked, grabbing for the camera and adjusting the focus one more time.  
“Yeah. I’m ready when you are.”  
“I’m ready.” Nick said. “I think we should start on the other side of the apartment so we can gather all the energy into one area before we push it out.”  
“That’s a good idea.” Zak said, grabbing for the bundle of sage and the lighter.  
Nick followed him to the living room, situating himself so he could get a good shot of the room while keeping his eye on the older man just in case. Zak lit the sage, blowing on it lightly until it began to smoke. He coughed a little as the smoke really got going. He could already feel his lungs constricting slightly. Smoke and asthma do not go well together.  
“You good?” Nick asked.  
“Yeah, it’s just the smoke.” Zak said with a nod. “You rolling?”  
“Yeah.” Nick said.  
Zak turned on the digital recorder, holding the bundle of sage out in front of him.  
“Mary Ann? Are you here with us tonight?” He began. “Please come to the sound of my voice. We want to help you. We want to help find peace after all these years. Will you let us help you?”  
He looked around the room. It was quiet and the air felt still. It was dark, but he looked to Nick finding his face in the soft glow of the monitor.  
“I don’t feel anything yet.” Nick whispered. “Keep going.”  
Zak nodded. He began to wave his hand, wafting smoke into the corners of the room, slowly making his way around the living room.  
“Mary Ann. I’m sorry, but you can’t stay here anymore. You’ve hurt me, and you’ve hurt the people I care about and now you have to go. But we want to give you a chance to say something before you leave. We want to tell your story.”  
Nick followed him as he snaked his way around the corners of the room, slowly making his way into the kitchen and wafting smoke around the perimeter of the room.  
“We know you weren’t a bad person, Mary Ann. You just had something bad happen to you. It wasn’t your fault. You were a devoted mother to little Henry and Cara. We know how much you loved them and how much pain you must have been in to leave them behind.”  
Zak froze as the floorboards in the next room creaked. He swallowed hard, feeling fear swelling in his chest.  
“Come on, Zak. Keep going.” Nick urged quietly.  
Zak nodded, collecting himself before he continued.  
“We know how much you must miss them. And we’re sorry that you went through that.” Zak said sincerely. He made his way toward the source of the creaks, trying his best to keep his voice even as he spoke. “Do you miss them, Mary Ann? Is that why you’re still here?”  
Another creak had Zak stopping dead in his tracks. Nick had been following too closely this time and he bumped into the older man as he stopped unexpectedly.  
“Sorry.” he said, reaching out to place a hand on the small of Zak’s back.  
Zak closed his eyes, feeling the comforting warmth of Nick’s proximity in the darkness. He was scared, but he knew he could do this with the younger man by his side. He continued forward, making his way into the hallway that led to the bathroom.  
“We know you’re mad at your husband. We know that he cheated on you and it broke your heart. You loved him and all you wanted was for him to love you back. You’re upset and I understand that. Love is a difficult thing. It hurts in ways you can’t anticipate. And when it’s not returned...there’s not much else that could be worse.”  
There was sadness in Zak’s voice and Nick felt the pain of it in his own heart. This must be the reason Zak never got involved with people for more than a night or two. It was clear he’d had his heart broken by someone. Nick ached to reach out and touch him, but he stood back giving the older man a moment to collect himself.  
“Nick?” Zak whispered after a moment.  
“Yeah?”  
“She’s here. She’s next to me. I can feel her.” Zak said. “Mary Ann?”  
The air was cool as it swirled around him. He felt a light vibration on his forearm. It was as if electricity passed over his skin as the sensation smoothed up his arm before coming to rest on his shoulder. Zak’s breathing evened out as he felt himself relax into the touch. Mary Ann was comforting him. He felt his eyes well up and he blinked, feeling the tears roll down his cheeks.  
“Zak, are you okay?” Nick asked, observing him closely in the monitor. “Is she hurting you?”  
“No. She’s touching me.” Zak explained. “I can feel you, Mary Ann. Thank you.” he said gratefully. The sensation lifted, but he could still feel her presence in the apartment. “I want you to know that your kids are okay. They were both married with families of their own. Henry worked in manufacturing and Cara became a nurse. They both lived long, happy lives. I need you to know that. You don’t have to worry about them anymore.”  
Zak made his way toward the bedroom with Nick following close at his heels. He could feel her in the room and he knew she was hiding.  
“We want to help you, Mary Ann. We want to help you find peace. We want to tell your story so that people remember you for who you were. A loving and devoted wife. A mother of two. A hard-working woman who sacrificed to give her children the opportunities that she didn’t have.”  
Zak worked his way toward the bed, his lungs were full and heavy with smoke and the emotion of the moment. He felt sad for Mary Ann, but couldn’t allow her to continue like this; twisted and tormented. The bed springs squeaked softly, and Nick grabbed him by the shoulder stopping him in his tracks.  
“Zak…” he said. He remembered what had happened when he sat next to Mary Ann on the bed and he worried it would happen to Zak.  
“It’s okay, Nick.” Zak said, turning to give the younger man a reassuring nod.  
“Be careful.”  
Zak moved to sit on the bed, the smoke from the bundle of sage was beginning to die out and he knew he didn’t have much time to help Mary Ann find peace.  
“Don’t be scared to let go, Mary Ann. You can’t stay here like this. You need to forgive yourself for the time you lost. You did the best you could with the circumstances you were given. It’s time to let go now.”  
The bed squeaked again and Nick couldn’t stop himself from taking a step closer to Zak. The older man held up his hand, holding Nick off.  
“Is there is anything you want to say before you go? Anything you want to tell Henry and Cara? Just say it into this little box and we’ll make sure people hear it.”  
He fell silent for a moment, giving Mary Ann a chance to say any last words. The room hung heavy with sadness and Zak knew that his message had gotten across to her.  
“Okay. It’s time to go now.” He stood from the bed, making his way toward the window. He opened it, feeling the cool night breeze on his skin. Slowly he pushed the smoke through the open window and as it billowed out into the night, he felt Mary Ann go with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter hit me in the feels a little bit! But don't worry, it's not the end! There's definitely a couple more chapters coming. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zak and Nick take a much-needed break from editing to get some food and cuteness ensues.

“Nick, I can’t look at this screen anymore!” Zak said, flopping back against the cushions. They’d been editing for hours and Zak felt like he was going to lose his mind. “Can we please take a break or something?”  
Nick chuckled. Zak had been restless for the past hour or so, getting up every few minutes to get a snack or go to the bathroom or refill his cup of water… And Nick couldn’t blame him. They’d been at it since earlier that day and his own eyes were starting to cross.   
“Yeah, okay. Let’s take a break.” Nick agreed, sitting back and rubbing his eyes.   
“I don’t know how you can look at the screen for so long like that.”   
“Years of practice.” Nick said.   
“This editing thing is no joke.” Zak said, shaking his head. “I thought that filming and recording the voice-overs was gonna be the hard part. I had no idea.”  
“Yeah, it’s a lot to go through. But I think it’s coming together really well.”  
“Me too. Everything looks amazing.” Zak said sincerely. “You’re really great at this, Nick. I mean it.”  
“We’ll see...gotta see how it looks when it’s finished.” Nick chuckled awkwardly.   
He had a habit of deflecting compliments that Zak found absolutely adorable.   
“Shut up. It’s gonna be great.” Zak said with a smile. Nick smiled back warmly, sending heat across Zak’s skin. “You wanna get out of here for a little bit? I’m kind of crawling the walls.”  
Yeah, sure.” Nick said. “You wanna get some food?” It was dinner time and he was starting to get hungry himself.   
“Yeah, what about some wings or something?”   
“Oh man, Buffalo Moe’s?” Nick asked.   
Zak shook his head. That name wasn’t ringing a bell.  
“Are you serious, dude?” Nick asked, eyes wide in disbelief.   
“I’ve never heard of it.”   
“Put your shoes on.” Nick ordered.   
Zak chuckled at Nick’s enthusiasm, but the younger man just looked at him expectantly.   
“Okay, okay!” Zak laughed, making his way to his room to slip on some shoes. “So how’d you hear about this place?”  
“It’s one of the first spots I checked out after I moved to Vegas. Aaron actually told me about it.”  
“Oh cool. I’ve never even heard of it.” Zak said.   
“Yeah, it’s kind of a hole-in-the-wall. But it’s delicious.” Nick said.   
“Okay. Well, let’s go. I’m starving.” Zak said.   
They pulled up outside the restaurant and Zak could tell immediately that Nick wasn’t kidding. This place was the definition of a hole-in-the-wall, but even from outside, the smell was intoxicating. They walked in and Nick stepped up to the counter. Zak hung back for a second to make sense of the giant menu board.  
“How’s it going? We’ll take a double basket of the fire wings, a large order of cheddar chips and uh...what do you want to drink?.” Nick asked, looking back toward Zak.  
“Um...a coke, I guess.” Zak said. He hadn’t expected Nick to order for him, but he didn’t mind.  
“And two cokes.” Nick said, pulling his wallet from his back pocket.   
“I got this, man.” Zak said, resting a hand on Nick’s forearm as he reached for his own wallet.   
“No way.” Nick argued, handing Zak the drinks. “Go find a seat.”  
Zak couldn’t help but smile as he scooted into a booth by the window. He liked this place already. “What are you grinnin’ about?” Nick asked, sliding in across from him.  
“Oh, nothing...I can just see why you like this place.”   
“It’s pretty great, right?” Nick asked. “I used to bring all my dates here in college.” He chuckled to himself at the memory.   
“Really?” Zak laughed.   
“I know, right? Wings on a first date...I don’t know what I was thinking.” Nick laughed. “Probably one of the reasons I was single for most of college.”  
“I don’t know...you could do the whole, ‘Oh, you’ve got some sauce on your face. Let me dab it with a napkin.’ thing.” Zak teased. “Super romantic.”  
“Back then, I probably just would have tried to lick it off her face.” Nick joked.   
“Hey, that can be romantic too.” Zak smirked, quirking his eyebrow.   
Nick laughed, feeling his stomach flip a bit as he did.   
“Good evening. I’ve got a double basket of fire and a large cheddar chip.” The server said, making his way to the table. “Is there anything else I can get you two?”  
“I think we’re good. Thanks.” Nick said with a smile.   
“This smells amazing!” Zak said, mouth watering. He reached for the first wing, dipping it in the ranch dressing before taking a bite. “Oh my God, Nick…” he mumbled, mouth full. “This is so good!”  
“I told you!” Nick said with a satisfied smile. He couldn’t help but watch Zak as ate. He groaned in approval with each bite, hardly coming up for air and Nick found himself completely mesmerized by the sound.   
“Dude. What?” Zak asked, when he looked up to see Nick staring.   
“Huh?” Nick asked, coming out of his haze. “Oh, I just spaced out for a second. Sorry.” He grabbed for a wing, focusing all his attention on dipping it in ranch and _not_ on the way Zak’s lips looked coated in the spicy sauce. Or how it might taste to kiss them clean.   
“So, I was thinking about that EVP we got the other night.” Zak said.  
“Yeah? What about it?” Nick asked, thankful for a subject change.   
“It’s just so sad, you know? All this time Mary Ann spent frustrated and miserable and the only thing she wanted was for her kids to know that she had always loved them.”  
“Yeah...it’s definitely sad to think about.” Nick agreed.   
“And because of us and this film, people are gonna know that. And they’re gonna remember who she was.” Zak said enthusiastically.   
“It’s pretty cool to think about it like that.” Nick said with a smile.   
“The only thing I can’t help but wonder is what happens to her now? I felt her leave, I felt her let go, you know?”   
Nick nodded his head thoughtfully. It was something that had been plaguing his mind as well.   
“I don’t know where she went, but I have to believe it’s better than being stuck the way she was. Voiceless and tormented like that? That’s no kind of life.”  
“Yeah, I guess you’re right…” Zak agreed. “It’s amazing how much the whole energy of the apartment has changed.”  
“I know. It seriously feels like a completely different place in there.” Nick said. “And you’re sleeping better?”  
“Yeah, much better.” Zak nodded. And it was true. The last few nights he’d actually managed to fall asleep in his own bed. A first in weeks.   
“Good.” Nick said happily. “I’m glad.”   
“It’s all thanks to you.” Zak said, looking up from the cheddar chips to lock eyes with Nick.  
“How do you mean?” Nick asked.   
“I would never have done any of this without you.” Zak said sincerely. “The film, confronting Mary Ann like that...It’s all because of you. So thanks.”   
“Thanks, man.” Nick smiled appreciatively. “But you were there too. I couldn’t have done any of this without you either. The way you got through to Mary Ann like that...I couldn’t have done that.”  
“You could have.” Zak reassured him. Nick never gave himself enough credit.  
“No, I don’t think so.” Nick insisted. “I’ve never really been in love before. So I wouldn’t have been able to connect with her the way you did.” He wasn’t sure if this was an okay subject and he didn’t want to ask directly, but he was curious about who had broken Zak’s heart.  
“Oh…” Zak said, eyes shifting down to the table. “That’s kind of surprising.”   
“Is it?” Nick asked.   
“Yeah, I mean...I guess I just think of you as a relationship guy.”   
“Yeah, I am, I guess. It’s just...none of my relationships ever really got that serious.” Nick said.  
“So, you’ve never loved anyone? Even someone that didn’t love you back?” Zak asked curiously.  
“I’m not sure.” Nick shrugged. He had cared about people, but he didn’t know if his feelings had ever turned into full-fledged love.   
“You would know. Trust me.” Zak said.   
His voice was sad, but his eyes swam with emotion. Nick felt like he could get lost in them.  
“Is that what happened to you?” he asked. It slipped from his mouth before his brain had a chance to interfere. “I mean...did you fall in love with someone who didn’t love you back?”  
Zak swallowed hard as Nick’s brown eyes bored into his. He worked to keep his face neutral. He didn’t want to give himself away.   
“Yeah.” he nodded. He didn’t think he could say much else with an even voice. He grabbed for a cheesy potato, needing a reason to break eye contact with the younger man.   
“I’m sorry, Zak.” Nick said, sincerely. One look at Zak’s face had him wishing he’d never brought it up.   
Zak shrugged, keeping his eyes trained on the chip in his hand.   
“It is what it is.” he said, simply.   
“We don’t have to talk about it anymore.” Nick said, wanting desperately to make it better. “But for the record, it’s their loss. And clearly, they don’t know what they’re missing.”   
Zak smiled at the compliment and the irony of the situation. Life wasn’t fair.   
“Thanks.” he said quietly. “Let’s talk about something else.”  
“Yeah. Of course. Sorry.” Nick said, wishing again that he hadn’t brought it up. “So, I’ve been doing some research. Looking into some possible spots for our next documentary.”   
“Oh yeah?” Zak said, interest peaked. “Anything good?”  
“Too many things, man…” Nick chuckled. “There are an impossible amount of haunted locations in this country.”  
“Good!” Zak said. “So we’ve got a shot at _one_ of them letting us in to investigate.”   
“I guess we have to get permission, huh?” Nick realized.   
“Unless you wanna get arrested?” Zak chuckled. “And we’re gonna need permits too. I mean, if we really want to shop this around we have to do it right.”  
“Yeah, I guess you’re right...” Nick agreed.   
“I am.” Zak smirked, picking up another wing and taking a bite. “So, what was your favorite spot that you found?”  
“Well, there’s the big ones like the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, Excalibur Nightclub, Alcatraz...but I think if we’re being realistic, we’re probably gonna have to start smaller than that.” Nick said.   
“I agree.” Zak nodded.   
“And it might make sense to stay within driving distance. Just to save on travel costs.”   
“Yeah, I think that’s smart.” Zak said.   
“So I was looking into Nevada haunts and I came across this one called The Dake House. It used to be the home of an undertaker. And it’s supposedly haunted by multiple spirits but there is one lady in particular that they see roaming the halls at night.”  
“Woah.” Zak said, rubbing chills from his arms. This was all a little too familiar.   
“Yeah, and it’s an antique shop now which means we could have the entire building to ourselves at night.”  
“You say that like it’s not a little terrifying.” Zak chuckled nervously.   
“It is...but mostly it’s exciting.” Nick grinned. “Besides, you survived years with Mary Ann. You can handle a ghost for a night or two.”   
“I was _used_ to Mary Ann. We had an understanding for a while there. Up until she kicked my ass.” he chuckled. “There’s nothing stopping an unfamiliar entity from doing the same.”   
“Sure there is.” Nick said. “I’ll be there with you, and I won’t let ‘em hurt you.”  
Zak smiled feeling heat slide over his body. Nick had always been a protective friend and Zak found the quality extremely attractive.   
“Well, what if they try to hurt _you_?” Zak asked. “You honestly expect me to stick around and fight?” He teased. But he could barely get the sentence out without laughing.   
“You better have my back, Bagans!” Nick laughed.   
“Don’t worry. I got you.” Zak said seriously. Truthfully, there was no _way_ he would ever let anything hurt Nick. Not if he could help it.  
“You all done?” Nick asked, nodding toward the mostly empty baskets in front of them.   
“Yeah, I’m stuffed!” Zak said, patting his full stomach. “That was so good.”  
“Glad you liked it.” Nick said, pulling his wallet from his back pocket.   
“Dude, you paid. Let me get the tip.” Zak said, placing his hand on Nick’s to stop him. “Wait a second…” he said, noticing something peeking out from the younger man’s wallet. “Is that…”  
Nick felt his stomach leap as Zak grabbed for the folded napkin, pulling it from his wallet.   
“You kept this?” Zak asked. A grin spread across his face as he unfolded the napkin to reveal his name and number scribbled across it. It was the napkin he’d given Nick the night they met. The one he wasn’t sure the younger man would ever use.   
“I...um...must have forgotten that was in there.” Nick said as nonchalantly as he could muster. He knew his face was bright red and he could feel the heat spread over his neck and shoulders as Zak grinned at him.   
“Whatever!” Zak joked. “You’re just a big softie.”   
“Whatever, dude. Gimmie back my napkin.” he said, yanking it from Zak’s hands and placing it back in his wallet. “What if I lose my phone or something...I don’t have your number memorized.”   
“Oh, okay.” Zak smirked, unconvinced. “You want a lock of my hair or something? Add it to the scrapbook?” Zak teased, feeling his grin grow even wider.   
“Shut up.” Nick said with a shove. He was embarrassed, but he couldn’t help but smile with Zak grinning like that.   
“I’m just fucking with you, man.” Zak said, with a good-natured pat to Nick’s back. “You should know I stole one of your shirts.”  
“You what?” Nick asked.   
“When I moved back home. I sort of took one of your shirts with me.” Zak shrugged. He hadn’t planned to tell Nick, but the younger man looked so embarrassed that he figured he should try to put him at ease..   
“Which one?” Nick asked, feeling a smile spread across his face.  
“The Ghostbusters one.” Zak admitted guiltily.   
“I love that shirt.” Nick said.  
“Me too.” Zak laughed.   
“Did you think I just wasn’t gonna notice you wearing it?” Nick asked.   
“I’ve been sleeping in it mostly.” Zak smirked. “Do you want it back?”  
Nick thought about it for a second and he realized he didn’t mind Zak having a memento of their time together. In fact, he liked it a lot.   
“Nah. You can keep it.” He said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These two nerds are going to be the death of me. Seriously. 
> 
> Thanks for reading and thanks for all the encouraging comments and inboxes! You guys are the best!


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick and Zak finally finish editing their film and decide to call Aaron up and go celebrate.

“That’s it. I think it’s done.” Nick said, locking eyes with Zak. “I think it’s finally done.”  
“I kind of can’t believe it.” Zak grinned happily. They’d been editing for the past couple weeks and Zak was pretty sure this was his least favorite stage of film making. “You fixed that one transition?”  
“Yeah, I did that last night after I got home.” Nick said, grinning.  
“And that one scene we were gonna shorten?”  
“It’s done, Zak. It’s _all_ done!” Nick said, grabbing the older man’s shoulder and shaking it excitedly.   
“Oh my God, dude. I can’t believe this.” Zak grinned. “I feel like we need to celebrate.”  
“Shots!” Nick said.  
“Yes. Lot’s of shots!” Zak said. “Grab your sweater. I’m calling us a cab!”  
Zak reached for his phone, calling the number for one of the local cab companies while Nick gathered his things. He took a look around Zak’s apartment, quickly realizing this was probably the last time he and Zak would be together like this, just the two of them. There would be other films. And it certainly wasn’t the end of long days of editing, but it was the end of _this_ film. The end of long nights huddled together in Zak’s dark bedroom. The end of afternoons spent on Zak’s couch eating too much pizza and editing until they were climbing the walls, punch-drunk and laughing like school girls. It felt like the end of something really important and it made him sad to think about.   
“Nick, the cab is pulling up. We can pack that stuff up later. Let’s go get _drunk_!” Zak said, grabbing Nick by the crook of the arm and dragging him toward the door.   
“Okay.” Nick chuckled, working to push the sad thoughts to the side for tonight. 

“Should we invite Aaron?” Zak asked as they settled into the back seat of the cab.   
“Sure. We could?” Nick said. He was a little surprised. Zak and Aaron had gotten along well, but Zak always got a little weird whenever Nick brought the older man up.   
“I mean, if we’re gonna ask him to be a part of this team I feel like I want to spend more time with him.”   
“So you’re sure about asking him?” Nick asked and Zak could see the excitement in his eyes.   
“Yeah.” Zak nodded. “I mean, he seems like a really cool guy and I think we’ll all get along well.”  
“I really think so too.” Nick said emphatically.  
“Good. Then let’s do it.” Zak said confidently.   
Nick beamed. This was exactly what he had hoped for. He didn’t want to push Zak into making a decision so he hadn't brought it up, but Aaron seemed like the perfect fit and he was glad Zak felt the same way.   
“Do you think he’d gonna say yes?” Zak questioned.   
“I don’t know. I hope so.” Nick said. “When I hung out with him the other night, he asked about you and how the film was coming along. He seems really interested.”   
“Oh…I didn’t realize you’d seen him.” Zak said, not sounding as casual as he’d hoped for. He had no claim over Nick’s friendship and the younger man certainly didn’t have to check in with him about his social life. But he couldn’t help the wave of jealousy that rolled through him.   
“Yeah. I was gonna call you, but you had that headache...and we ended up checking out that indoor climbing wall.” Nick said.   
“No...” Zak said, dismissively. He was feeling stupid and possessive when he had no right to be. “It’s no big deal.”  
“I just know how much you hate heights…”   
“Nick, it’s fine!” Zak said with a chuckle he hoped sounded casual. “You don’t have to check in with me. And I _do_ hate heights. So I wouldn’t have gone anyway.”  
“I don’t know,” Nick smirked. “I can be _pretty_ persuasive.”  
“Dude, there’s no way.” Zak said.   
“I think I’ll get you there one day.” Nick insisted.  
Zak felt his skin warm as Nick looked at him daringly. Nick’s confidence was a one of many of Zak’s weaknesses when it came to the younger man.   
“Yeah, we’ll see.” Zak said with a smile. His heart pounded in his chest as Nick’s eyes burned into his. “Um, shouldn’t you be calling Aaron?”  
“Oh yeah.” Nick said, breaking eye contact to reach for his phone.  
Zak released a shaky breath as he worked to slow his heart rate. 

“I’m weirdly nervous about this.” Zak said, shifting in his chair.   
“I know, right?” Nick agreed.   
“What if he says no?” Zak asked. “And then we all just have to sit here feeling awkward.”  
“Oh God. I hadn’t even thought about that.” Nick chuckled. “Maybe we should wait a bit to ask him?”  
“What, and just sit here thinking about it the whole time? Now way!” Zak insisted.   
“Fine.” Nick chuckled. “Well, then what do you wanna do?”   
“I don’t know, man… This is worse than asking someone to marry you.” Zak said seriously.   
“Oh yeah? And you have a lot of experience in that department?” Nick joked.   
“Well, no. But I can imagine.”  
“How about we just play it by ear? When it feels right, we just go for it.” Nick suggested.   
“Yeah, I guess.” Zak said, wringing his hands nervously. “Oh God...he’s here.”   
“Would you calm down? You’re making me nervous!” Nick chided.   
“Sorry.”   
“How’s it going!” Aaron said, all smiles as he walked up to the table.  
“Hey buddy.” Nick said, reaching out to pat Aaron on the arm.   
“Hey…” Zak chimed in awkwardly.   
“So I hear we’re celebrating tonight.” Aaron grinned.   
“Yeah, man! Just finished it earlier today!” Nick said happily.   
“Congrats you guys! That one hell of an accomplishment. I can’t wait to see it.”   
“Thanks.” Zak said, feeling his face pull into a smile. “We can’t wait to show it to you. Thanks for the tip about the sage, by the way. It worked like a charm.”  
“I’m glad it worked. Nick said you were a pro.” Aaron said.   
“Oh, I don’t know about that.” Zak smiled. “I’m just glad she’s at peace.”  
“Well, you clearly found a way to get through to her.” Aaron said.   
“Yeah, it took a little while. But we figured it out.” Zak said uncomfortably. He wasn’t sure how much Nick had told Aaron but he hoped he hadn’t gone into detail about his heartbreak. He’d told Nick that in confidence and he didn’t know if he could handle another conversation about it. It was hard enough to pretend _once_ that Nick wasn’t the person who’d broken his heart. He didn’t think he could do it a second time. “I think we need some shots.” Zak said, desperate to change the subject. “Tequila?” he asked, standing from the table.   
“Only if you want to see me make an ass of myself!” Nick chuckled.   
“Tequila it is.” Zak said with a wicked smile.   
“Dude…” Nick warned. But Zak ignored him, making his way to the bar.   
“Hey there. What can I get for you?” The bartender asked with a friendly smile.   
“I’ll take three shots of patron.” Zak said. “Actually, make that a bottle.” He said. Nick had gotten him drunk more than once. Now it was his turn.  
“Coming right up.” 

Zak made his way back to the table feeling pretty happy with himself. Cold bottle of tequila in one hand and three shot glasses in the other.   
“Come on, dude…” Nick groaned when he caught a glimpse.   
“It’s cheaper than going up to the bar to buy shots.” Zak said, imitating the way Nick had justified buying a bottle of the Jack the last time they had all gone out together.   
“Karma’s a bitch.” Aaron laughed.   
“Whatever…” Nick said, cracking a smile.   
Zak passed out the glasses, topping them off with the clear liquid before raising his own.  
“To _finally_ finishing the first of what I hope will be _many_ adventures.”  
“Here here!” Nick cheered, bringing their glasses together before they all tossed them back.   
“The first of many, huh?” Aaron asked curiously.   
“Yeah. Zak and I talked it over and we decided we want to keep going.” Nick said, eyes shifting toward Zak. He thought this was probably their opening. Zak nodded enthusiastically, urging Nick to go for it. “...Which is actually sort of why we asked you to meet up with us tonight.”  
“Oh?” Aaron asked, clearly confused.   
“Well, we were talking, and it would be really great to add another cameraman to the team, for documenting purposes. And you seemed really interested in the project, so we thought maybe if you wanted to-”  
“Hell yes!” Aaron interrupted.  
“None of us are getting paid.” Zak clarified. “So it’s really just for fun at this point. And it’s a huge time commitment.”  
“I’m in.” Aaron said with a huge grin on his face. “I’m scared shitless, but I’m in.”  
“Yeah?” Nick asked, returning Aaron’s grin.  
“Are you kidding? Filming something besides wedding videos and getting to do it with my best bud! It’s a no brainer.” Aaron said, patting Nick on the back. “I’m really pumped you guys. Thanks for thinking of me.”  
“Of course, man. You were the first person I thought of.” Nick said.   
“Yeah...happy to have you.” Zak chimed in. He was letting his jealousy get the best of him again and he tried to ignore the fact that Aaron had called Nick his best friend. Maybe he was. They’d known each other a lot longer. It made sense.  
“More shots!” Nick said, pouring another round and raising his glass. “Aaron, buddy, welcome to the team. We’re a little crazy and we never sleep. Hope you can handle it.”

Zak sat quietly as the bar spun around him. He’d bought the tequila to get _Nick_ drunk, but at some point that plan had backfired. As it turned out, Zak was a bit of a lightweight compared to the younger man. They’d managed to drink the majority of the bottle and with each shot, Nick and Aaron got louder and louder. Zak tried his best to smile as they told story after story of their youthful indiscretions, but he found himself growing more and more jealous with each passing minute.   
“Oh man, and what about the Lopez wedding?” Aaron said, barely able to get the sentence out through his laughter. “That is a day I’m never gonna forget!”   
“You’re never gonna believe this, Zak.” Nick said, eyes wild. “We’re working this wedding, right? Nice Catholic family, _super_ religious. This wedding is huge. I’m talking over 500 people crammed into this church. Anyway...Aaron and I are somehow running a few minutes ahead of schedule for photos, which never happens.”  
“Never.” Aaron chimed in.  
“So we had finished up with the bridesmaids pictures and we’re heading back to see if we can grab the parents of the bride for some family shots. But we walk into the parlor to find the mother of the bride making out with the best man!”  
“Like, full on making out.” Aaron added.   
“And she see’s us.” Nick continued. “And she says...what did she say again?” he asks Aaron, already laughing hysterically.   
“She looks at us, and she just goes, ‘you’re early’. No emotion. Like, she doesn’t even care that we just caught them.” Aaron laughed.   
“And then we have to shoot the rest of the wedding and the reception! It was so awkward.” Nick said, laughing so hard that tears began to form in his eyes.   
“Woah. That sounds crazy.” Zak said. Normally he would have attempted a chuckle, but he was too busy focusing on staying upright on his stool.   
“Hey, man. You okay?” Nick asked.  
“I’m good, man.” Zak lied. He was drunk. And not the slap-happy, jolly kind of drunk that Nick and Aaron were. He had moved beyond that point about a half-a-dozen stories ago. Now he was the kind of drunk where he had to think twice before he spoke because he wasn’t sure _what_ was going to come out of his mouth.   
“You sure? You’re kinda quiet over there.” Nick asked.   
“Just listening.” Zak said, casually. Nick was giving him that look he got when he was concerned, the one that made Zak’s head swirl. But Zak’s head was _already_ swirling, and so was Nick. He blinked, shaking his head to try and get his eyes to focus. He blinked again, but this time he stayed in the dark a little bit longer.   
“Zak?” he heard Nick say.   
He blinked again.   
“Zak!”  
He felt Nick’s hands grab for him, but he was slipping backward. His eyes popped open and he tried to catch himself on the table, but it was too late. He landed on the ground with a thud, smacking his head pretty good as he made contact.   
“Shit…” he said, as he lay there catching his breath.   
“Zak, are you okay?” Nick asked, crouching down at his side.   
“Yeah.” Zak croaked. “Just got the wind knocked outta me.”  
“Okay. Take a second.” Nick said. “Aaron, could you go grab some ice?”   
“Sure, man.”   
“Ice for what? I’m fine.” Zak said, sitting up. The room still spun, but he was pretty sure it was just the alcohol.   
“For your head. You cracked it pretty hard.” Nick said with that look of concern, a hand coming to Zak’s back to keep him upright.  
“Oh, I’m fine. Just lost my balance for a second.” Zak said, moving to stand. Nick grabbed him by the elbow, helping him up. Normally, he would have pushed him away but it felt nice to have the younger man’s hands on him.   
“You sure you’re okay?”   
“Yeah, I’m sure.” Zak said. But the truth was, he was pretty embarrassed. There was no way everyone in the bar hadn't seen what happened and he felt his face burn red as he realized how many eyes were on him. “I think I should probably just head home.”   
“What? Are you sure?” Nick asked.  
“Here’s the ice, man.” Aaron said, making his way over with a zip top bag full of ice.  
“Thanks, dude.” Zak said. “I’ll take this for the road.”   
“Zak, I don't think you should be alone right now. What if you’ve got a concussion?” Nick reasoned.   
“Well then I won't go to sleep.” Zak said with a shrug. He felt like they were causing a scene and he felt his embarrassment levels climb. “Look, it’s no big deal. I'll just talk to you tomorrow.”   
“Zak…” Nick said. He still wasn't sure it was a good idea for the older man to be alone.   
“I'm fine, Nick.” Zak said, turning his head a bit too fast. He felt his body go off balance as he stumbled slightly.  
“Okay, that's it. I'm coming with you.” Nick said.   
“No. You guys stay and _reminisce_.” Zak said and it came out tinged with bitterness.   
“You know what,” Aaron said, “I gotta work early tomorrow anyway. So I’m probably just gonna head home.”  
“You sure?” Nick asked.  
“Yeah, man. I'm beat. Thanks again for inviting me tonight and I'm really excited to join the crew.”   
“Of course.” Zak said, feeling guilty. Aaron was a nice guy and he was acting like a jealous brat.  
“Alright, let's get a cab.” Nick said, leading Zak outside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I'm already working on the next chapter which is a continuation of this one. I'd love to hear what you think!


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick's not sure if Zak has a concussion so he decides to keep him awake for a while.

“How ya doin’, buddy?” Nick asked as Zak settled onto the couch.   
“Still a little spinny.” Zak said, rubbing his eyes. “I’m pretty sure that’s just the tequila though.” He laid back on the couch, closing his eyes.  
“Well, let’s not take any chances.” Nick said, tapping him. “Come on, sit up.”  
“Fine…” Zak grouched. But he didn’t mind the attention he was getting from the younger man. Nick had even held him around his waist as they climbed the stairs. It was unnecessary, but Zak wasn’t going to tell him so.  
“You should probably eat something. Soak up some of that alcohol.” Nick said.   
“I don’t really have any food.”   
“I’m sure I can figure something out.” Nick said, making his way to the kitchen.   
“Good luck!” Zak called, using the opportunity to rest his eyes. He smiled as he listened to Nick rifle through the refrigerator and cabinets, mumbling about how Zak managed to stay alive on his own.   
“Grilled cheese?” He called after a couple minutes.   
“Sounds good.” Zak called back.   
“You don’t have butter...What kind of house doesn’t have butter?” Nick called.   
“The kind that hates grocery shopping.” Zak chuckled.   
“Well, I’m gonna have to make it with cooking spray.”   
“That’s fine, Nick. I’m not picky.” Zak smiled again. He was drunk, so he allowed himself to imagine that Nick wasn’t just here as a friend. That this is how it would feel to really be together. He closed his eyes, focusing on the sound of Nick cooking. He hummed to himself in the kitchen and Zak settled in, letting the sound wash over him.  
“Zak! Open your eyes!”   
“What?” Zak whined as Nick’s panicked voice pulled him from sleep.   
“Come on, sit up. Seriously.” Nick said. “You gotta stay awake for a little while. Here. Eat this while it’s hot.” he said, shoving the grilled cheese under Zak’s nose.  
It smelled good and Zak pushed himself to sit up against his body’s wishes.  
“Thanks.” He said with a grateful smile.   
“You seriously need to go grocery shopping. It’s sad in there.” Nick joked.   
Zak chuckled as he took a big bite of the sandwich.   
“Good thing I’ve got my favorite chef here to whip something up for me.” he said, mouth full. It was more than he might have said without the tequila in his system, but Nick smiled warmly and Zak felt it in his veins.   
“So, uh, pretty exciting about Aaron, huh?” Nick said, needing to get his mind off the way Zak was grinning at him and how it sent butterflies through his stomach.   
“Yeah. For sure.” Zak said with a nod.  
“It’s gonna be great to get to spend more time with him. I feel like I don’t see him enough these days.” Nick mused.   
Zak tried to ignore the wave of jealousy rolling over his body, but the alcohol had him feeling possessive.   
“Can I ask you something?” he said, before he even realized it had slipped from his lips.   
“Sure.” Nick said.   
“Did you tell Aaron about what I told you? About how I got my heart broken?”   
“What? No way!” Nick said seriously.   
“You didn’t? Really? Because it seemed like he knew.” Zak said. His voice raising with the accusation. “And I told you that privately.”  
“Zak, I didn’t tell him. I swear.” Nick said. “I wouldn’t do that.”   
He stared at Nick, unsure of what to say. He felt bad for accusing him and he knew this wasn’t even what he was _really_ upset about, but he was feeling stubborn.  
“I didn’t.” Nick said seriously.  
“It’s just...that’s a really hard subject for me to talk about.” Zak said, feeling his throat seize as he spoke.  
“I know that.” Nick said, eyes softening.  
“And I don’t know Aaron that well yet. I just...I’m not ready for other people to know that about me.”  
“That’s why I didn’t tell him. And I won’t. I promise. That’s your story to tell.” Nick said.  
“Okay.” Zak nodded.   
“Is that why you were so quiet tonight?”   
Nick’s eyes searched his and Zak felt himself swimming in them.  
“Yeah. Kinda…” he shrugged. “I know you and Aaron have known each other a long time. Longer than we have. And it makes sense that you’d want to tell him stuff seeing as he’s your best friend and all…”  
Nick smiled to himself, finally realizing what was really bothering Zak. The older man looked sad and vulnerable and Nick couldn’t help but find it adorable. He got this way whenever he was drunk and Nick loved getting to see this side of him.  
“Aaron’s not my best friend.” he said with a warm smile.   
“He’s not?” Zak asked, eyes wide.  
No. Tommy Harrison is.” He joked. He couldn’t help himself. Zak looked so sweet and pathetic.  
“Oh…”  
“Zak, I’m kidding!” Nick laughed. “Come on, you know you’re my best friend.”  
“I am?” He asked, face pulling into a grin.  
“Of course you are.” Nick said, returning the smile. “Aaron’s great. And we _have_ known each other longer, but you and me...we’ve been through a lot together. I feel like you know me better than anyone.” he shrugged.  
Zak’s smile grew impossibly wider and Nick felt his stomach flip in response.  
“Nick...I...you’re so…” Zak stammered, trying to wrap his mouth around the words bouncing around his brain. “You’re important to me.”  
Nick fought the urge to reach out and touch him. To feel Zak’s skin under his fingers, to know that he was real. It was an unexpected urge and he attributed it to the alcohol still making its way through his bloodstream.  
Zak held his breath as Nick’s dark eyes stared into his. He thought long and hard about kissing him. He could blame it on the head injury or the liquor. He just wanted to feel Nick’s lips soft against his. But he knew he couldn’t. It was a bad idea and he’d regret it when he sobered up.   
“Yeah, me too.” Nick managed. It came out sounding stunted in comparison. He wanted to say more, but everything he thought to say scared him. So he settled for silence.   
“Sorry... I’m drunk.” Zak said, feeling embarrassment wash over him. Nick was quiet and Zak worried the younger man was uncomfortable. He lowered his eyes, scratching nervously at his hair. His hand found the throbbing lump on the back of his head and he sucked in a sharp breath, surprised by the pain.   
“Shit, you okay?” Nick asked. “Let me get you some ice for that.”  
He scrambled off the couch, thankful to put a little space between himself and Zak. He needed a second to collect his thoughts before he spoke again. He’d somehow managed to wipe the grin from Zak’s face and he hated it. He filled a kitchen towel with ice cubes, twisting it up and bringing it back out to the living room.   
“Here you go.” he said, handing the towel off to Zak.   
“Thanks.” Zak said, not fully meeting his eyes. “I’m getting kinda tired-”  
“You know I care about you too, right?” Nick asked suddenly. It surprised him as it came out, but he knew he meant it.   
Zak smirked softly as his eyes met Nick’s again.   
“I’m bad at talking about this kind of stuff.” Nick explained. “But I’m still a little drunk, so..I want you to know that your friendship means a lot to me. Really.”  
Zak nodded, smile spreading across his lips.   
“Thanks.” Zak smiled.   
“I know that we’re kind of starting a new chapter with Aaron joining the crew...and I’m excited about it. But I’m really gonna miss it just being the two of us.”   
“Me too.” Zak agreed. This was exactly what he needed to hear from the younger man and he felt the weight lift from his shoulders. “We’re still gonna have fun though.”   
“I know…” Nick said. “It’s just gonna be different.”  
Zak nodded in agreement. It was going to be different. And even sitting next to Nick, right here and now, he already missed their time together. Just the two of them.   
“How’s your head?” Nick asked.   
“Hurts like hell. I think my buzz is wearing off.” He said, wincing as he moved the ice over his scalp.   
“Your _buzz_?” Nick smirked. “That wasn’t a buzz, man. You were full-on drunk.”  
“Whatever!” Zak said. “So were you.”  
“Yeah, but I didn’t fall off my chair.” Nick laughed.   
“Oh, God…” Zak said, hiding his face in his hand. “Was it really embarrassing?”  
“I mean...it was pretty loud.” Nick chuckled.   
“I can’t ever go back there again.” Zak groaned.   
“Yes, you can.”   
“Nick, I fell off my chair!”   
“I know. I was there.” Nick chuckled. “But that’s one of my favorite spots. I’ve already lost one bar…”  
“Which one?” Zak asked. But as he said it, he realized which bar Nick was talking about. The one Peter worked at had been a favorite of his. And now after his fight with the bartender, he’d probably never go back. “Oh… Yeah, sorry about that one.”  
“It’s not your fault. _He’s_ the asshole.” Nick said seriously. “You haven’t heard from him at all, have you?”  
“Nope.” Zak said. “I don’t usually give my phone number.”   
“Oh…” Nick said. He was happy Peter didn’t have a way to contact Zak. He didn’t want him trying to worm his way back in. “So you made an exception for me?” He smirked, unable to help himself.   
“Yeah, I did.” Zak said truthfully.   
Nick nodded his head thoughtfully.  
“Don’t make me regret it.” Zak smirked.   
“No promises.” Nick chuckled.   
“So how do we tell if I have a concussion?” Zak asked. He was getting really tired, but he didn’t dare cut his time with Nick short.   
“I have no clue. I just know you’re not supposed to sleep right away. After a little while you can, but someone has to wake you up every two hours.”  
“Guess I’m pulling an all-nighter…” Zak said.   
“No, go get some sleep. I’ll wake you up.” Nick offered.   
“No way. I’m not gonna make you sit up while I take a nap.”  
“I’m not gonna sit up.” Nick said simply. “I’m gonna sleep on your couch. I’ll set an alarm and come wake you up in two hours.”  
“You really don’t have to.” Zak said.  
“Would you go, already? I’m tired.” Nick said, shooing Zak off the couch.   
“If you’re sure…”   
“Get outta here!” Nick said, laying back on the couch and settling in.  
“Okay, okay!” Zak said. “Let me get you some blankets and stuff.”  
He made his way into his bedroom grabbing an extra pillow and blanket from his closet.   
“Here. At least try to get comfortable.” He said, handing the bedding to Nick. “I got extra toothbrushes in the bathroom cabinet if you want.”  
“Yeah, I remember.” Nick said.  
“Okay. Well, need anything else?”  
“Just for you to go to bed.” Nick said. “I’m setting the alarm right now, I mean it.”  
“Wait, wait! Give me 5 minutes to change and stuff.”   
“Fine. Tell me when you’re ready.” Nick said, setting his phone down and settling back.   
Zak took a few minutes to brush his teeth and wash his face before stripping off his shirt and changing into the Ghostbusters shirt he’d stolen from Nick. He stepped out of his pants and crawled into bed.   
“Okay, I’m ready!” he called to Nick.   
“Okay. See you in two hours.” The younger man answered back.  
Zak settled back into the pillows. He felt the seconds tick away and he wasn’t sure he’d be able to fall asleep knowing Nick was right in the next room. So close and not close enough.

3:00 a.m.  
Nick rolled over as his alarm sounded. He looked around the room, feeling disoriented. It took him a second to remember where he was and why his alarm clock was going off in the middle of the night. He sat up, wiping the sleep from his eyes before making his way to Zak’s room. The older man was sprawled across the bed, snoring softly as he slept. Nick smiled to himself as he noticed Zak’s t-shirt. _His_ t-shirt. He definitely wasn’t ever getting _that_ back. He moved closer to the bed, shaking Zak lightly.  
“Zak. Zak, get up.”  
The older man grunted in his sleep, turning toward Nick’s voice and burrowing into the pillows   
“Zak, you gotta wake up.” Nick tried again with a pat to Zak’s arm. He left his hand there, enjoying the warmth and the way the older man pressed into his touch. Zak’s eyes fluttered open slowly. He smiled when he saw Nick, clearly still half-asleep.   
“You awake?” He asked.   
“Yeah.” Zak said. He sat up as he remembered what was going on. He’d been dreaming about Nick and he hoped he hadn’t mumbled anything embarrassing in his sleep. “I’m up.”  
“Okay, I’ll be back in two hours.” Nick said, with a pat to Zak’s shoulder before heading back toward the couch. 

5:00 a.m.

Nick shuffled into Zak’s room. He felt like a zombie. He was exhausted and he just wanted to wake Zak up so he could flop back on the couch and knock out. He reached his hand out to shake Zak awake, and was surprised to see the older man had stripped his shirt off while he slept. His hand hovered in place over Zak’s skin as he took in the sight. He couldn’t help but notice the way the older man’s milky white skin stood in contrast to the hard muscle of his chest. The combination was intriguing and Nick took a moment to imagine how it might feel to touch. He shook his head, attempting to clear the thought from his mind. He’d been having a lot of these kinds of thoughts lately and they were starting to put him on edge.   
“Zak.” He said, shaking the older man a bit more roughly than necessary. “Get up.”  
“Okay, I’m up.” Zak said, groaning as he opened his eyes. “What time is it?”  
“Five.”   
“I need to sleep more.” Zak said. His mouth was dry and he felt his hangover starting to kick in.   
“Okay. I wake you up in two more hours.” Nick said.   
“Yeah, okay.” Zak said, rubbing his head.   
“You should drink some water.” Nick suggested.   
Zak nodded, throwing the covers back and standing from the bed. Nick lowered his eyes, suddenly very aware of how much of Zak’s skin was on display.   
“Why don’t you go back to sleep.” Zak said.   
“Yeah, okay.” Nick said, making his way back toward the couch. “Take some aspirin too. You’re gonna have a killer headache in the morning.”  
“Yeah...I’m starting to realize that.” Zak said, carefully touching the raised bump on his scalp. 

7:00 a.m. 

“Come on, Zak. Get up!” Nick called, pulling Zak from a deep sleep.   
“Go away…” he groaned, pulling the other pillow over his head.  
“I can’t. I’m starving. Come on, let’s go get breakfast.” Nick insisted.   
“What? Now? I’m so tired.” Zak protested. “Can you wait another hour?”  
“I could, but I’m so hungry and you have nothing in your fridge.”  
“Ugh…” Zak whined.   
“Come on, you’ll feel so much better after you get some greasy food in your stomach.”  
“How are you so awake right now?” Zak grouched.   
“It’s a gift.” Nick smirked.   
“It’s annoying.”   
“You’re grouchy in the morning.” Nick teased.   
“Sorry…” Zak said. He felt like an ass. Nick had taken care of him all night and he was being a jerk. “My head is killing me.”  
“You need water...and coffee. And probably some more aspirin.”   
“And waffles...” Zak added, eyebrows raised. “But not like the ones they have at the diner. I want _good_ waffles. What would I need to make waffles?” Zak hinted.   
“Well, you need a waffle iron for one thing.” Nick chuckled. He knew where Zak was going with this. “You know what? I happen to have one of those at my apartment.”  
“Oh yeah?” Zak grinned.   
“Come on, get your stuff.” Nick chuckled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ALMOST had them kiss in this chapter. I was so close. But I have a plan and I want to try to stick to it. I think it's gonna be good. Thank you for your patience as these two lovesick nerds figure themselves out. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!!


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the night of the premier and they throw a viewing party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, I have no chill and this chapter is really more like the first half of what I intended it to be. It will be continued in chapter 20!

“That popcorn smells amazing!” Zak said, taking a big whiff as he made his way into the living room.  
“Yeah, it took a little bit, but I finally got this piece of shit working.” Nick said with a huff. “You’d think they’d include instructions or something.”  
“No kidding.” Zak said. “Well, thanks for figuring it out!”  
Truthfully, he would have given up a while ago if Zak didn’t have his heart set on the damn thing. It was his one request for the entire premier party. He didn’t care when it was or who they invited. As long as they rented an old-timey popcorn cart.  
“It was nothin’.” Nick said with a smile.  
“So, I cleaned the bathroom and swept the floors. I think this is about as clean as my apartment gets, actually.” Zak said, taking a look around.  
“I hooked the computer up to the projector and the speakers and everything are working great.” Nick said.  
“I’m nervous.” Zak admitted, wringing his hands together.  
“Me too.” Nick chuckled. “What if nobody shows up?”  
“Don’t _say_ that!” Zak said, smacking Nick on the arm. “That’s my worst nightmare!”  
“Well, I hope you’re hungry, because we’re not wasting any of that popcorn.” Nick joked.  
“People are gonna show up.” Zak insisted. “Aaron wouldn’t miss it. And your parents are coming, right?”  
“I’m not sure...” Nick shrugged. “How about your mom?”  
“Yeah, I think she’s coming.” Zak said, feeling butterflies in his stomach. “We’ll see.”  
“I’m sure she’ll be here.” Nick said with a reassuring smile. He knew Zak and his mom were close and the fact that she had never really bought into his experiences with the paranormal really bothered him.  
Zak just nodded, giving Nick a small smile.  
“So, have you thought about what you wanna say before the movie?” Nick asked, hoping to change the subject.  
“Yeah, I’ve got some ideas... You?”  
“Yeah, I think so.” Nick shrugged. “I can’t believe this is actually happening. It’s been _months_.”  
“I know!” Zak grinned. “The first of many premier nights.”  
The doorbell rang, and both their heads snapped toward the sound.  
“It’s time.” Zak beamed, squeezing Nick’s shoulder before making his way to the door. 

“Look at how _fancy_ this is!” Zak’s mother beamed as he walked into the apartment. “And you rented a popcorn machine!”  
Nick chuckled to himself. So apparently, Zak didn’t fall too far from the tree.  
“I know, it’s so cool, right?” Zak said.  
He looked happy and Nick felt himself relax a bit. If _his_ parents didn’t make it, he’d be alright. But he knew Zak would have been crushed if his mom hadn’t showed up. The look of pure joy on Zak’s face when he buzzed her up was enough for Nick to declare this night a success.  
“So, where is he?” Zak’s mother asked, leaning in to whisper a little too loudly into Zak’s ear.  
Zak felt his face flush slightly as he reached around her back to pinch her arm. He only hoped Nick hadn’t detected the tone in her voice.  
“Mom, this is Nick. Nick, this is my mother, Tonya.”  
“Well, aren’t you a handsome devil?” Tonya said, giving Nick an uncomfortably long once over. He shot a nervous glance toward Zak who could only look back at him apologetically.  
“It’s great to meet you, Tonya. You look...lovely as well.” Nick said awkwardly.  
“How tall are you?” She asked, sizing him up.  
“Mom…”  
“About 6’ 1”.” Nick said.  
“Tall...and strong too.” She said, reaching out to feel Nick’s bicep.  
“Yeah,” Nick laughed nervously. “Your son’s been working me pretty hard at the gym recently.”  
“He mentioned that.” she smirked. “So, you seeing anyone, Nick?”  
“Mom, stop.” Zak said, hiding another pinch to her arm.  
“What? He’s your best friend, right? Can’t I get to know my son’s best friend?” Tonya asked.  
“It’s fine, Zak.” Nick said dismissively. “No. I’m not seeing anyone at the moment.”  
“Have your eye on anyone special?” Tonya pushed.  
“Oh, um…” Nick stammered. It was an easy question, but for some reason he felt tongue tied.  
The doorbell rang, and Nick sent a silent prayer of thanks toward the sky.  
“Oh, Nick could you get that?” Zak asked, hoping to give him an easy out.  
“It’s your apartment, Zak.” Tonya said. “Don’t you think you should greet your guests?”  
“Sure mom.” Zak agreed, sending another apologetic look in Nick’s direction before making his way toward the door.  
“So, Zak tells me you two have been spending quite a lot of time together these past few months.”  
“We have. This film has been a huge undertaking. Lots of long hours and late nights.” Nick said.  
“I don’t know if Zak’s mentioned it, but he has a really complicated history with friendship.” Tonya said, voice softening a bit. “He was bullied a lot as a child. And I think he’s never really gotten over the loneliness of it.”  
“Yeah, he told me.” Nick said, unintentionally mirroring the softness of her voice.  
“He pretends to be tough, but he has a tender heart. And I don’t like to see him in pain.” Tonya said, with the slightest hint of warning in her voice.  
“I would never do anything to hurt Zak.” Nick said sincerely.  
Tonya nodded her head knowingly and Nick could tell there was something else she wanted to say. But before her lips could wrap themselves around the words, Zak was back at her side.  
“Okay, mom.” Zak said. “That’s enough of the third degree.”  
“Nick, I want you to watch out for my son.” she said seriously, letting it hang in the air for a moment. “Now I don’t know about all this... _paranormal_ and _ghosts_ and whatnot. But I don’t like my Zak getting himself into dangerous situations.”  
“We’re being careful, don’t worry.” Nick assured her.  
“And he has asthma. So I don’t want to see you two fools running around some old, asbestos-filled building. And I don’t care what he says, he needs to have his inhaler with him all the time.”  
“That’s what _I_ told him.” Nick smiled. “He tried to go running without it.”  
“Nick…”  
“Zak!” she shrieked, landing a hard smack on his arm.  
So apparently Zak got the smacking thing from her too.  
“How many times do I have to tell you? It takes-”  
“ _One bad day_ ….I know mom. I’m sorry.” Zak said, planting a quick kiss to her cheek before throwing daggers at Nick.  
“Don’t worry. I’ve got his back.” Nick said with a satisfied smile. “I’ll keep him safe.”  
“You had better.” she warned. “Or you’ll have me to answer to.”  
Nick nodded, giving her a reassuring smile.  
“Okay, I think we can be done with that conversation now.” Zak said, shooting his mother a look of warning. “Nick, your parents are here.”  
“They are?” Nick asked, feeling his face pull into a smile. He wasn’t sure if they were going to make it or not and he had tried not to get his hopes up in case it didn’t happen. But now that they were here, he had to admit it was a relief. “Come on, I want you to meet them.” he said, grabbing Zak by the crook of the arm. His mother followed close behind.  
“Mom. Dad. I’m so happy you guys made it!” Nick said, wrapping his mother up in a hug.  
“We wouldn’t miss it.” His dad said taking his turn to hug Nick.  
“But mom, I thought you had that presentation at work?”  
“I did. But Zak told us how important this night was to you and...well, we knew we just _had_ to make it work.” His mom said with a grateful smile in Zak’s direction.  
“He did?” Nick asked, shooting a confused look toward Zak.  
“Yeah...well, I saw their RSVP come through and I just thought...well, I just didn’t want them to miss it.” Zak shrugged. He thought he’d asked Nick’s parents to keep this between them. But that had only lasted about thirty seconds. He flushed with embarrassment and he felt his mom’s arm wrap around his back as she squeezed him close.  
“Thanks, man.” Nick grinned. He thought he’d played it pretty cool when it came to the subject of whether or not his parents were coming, but apparently Zak saw right through his act.  
“No problem.” Zak smiled back. He had worried Nick might think the gesture was weird or inappropriate, but he just couldn’t handle seeing him so disappointed. “It was no big deal.” He said, feeling the warmth of Nick’s smile drawing him in. He would have been more than happy to sink into the sunshine if it weren’t for the other three sets of eyes watching them.  
“Well, it’s great to finally meet you both in person.” Zak said, forcing himself to look away.  
“Sorry. Right.” Nick said, pulling himself from his thoughts. “Mom and Dad, this is Zak, obviously… and this is Zak’s mother, Tonya. These are my parents, Mike and Joanne.”  
“Wonderful to meet you both.” Tonya said, reaching out to shake hands. “I’ve heard nothing but great things about your son. Zak tells me he’s an extremely talented filmmaker.”  
“Yes, well he’s been running around with a camera in his hand since I can remember.” Joanne smiled. “We’re just so excited to see what these two have come up with.”  
“I’ll say!” Tonya agreed. “I can’t believe the kinds of hours they've put into this project. I’ve never seen Zak so passionate about something before. The whole process has been great for him. I kept telling him he needed structure in his life and I feel like he’s finally found it with Nick.”  
“I agree.” Mike said. “It’s been really good for Nick too. We were worried about him moving out here on his own. Vegas is an easy place to get stuck.”  
“And we’re just so thrilled that he’s found a good friend in Zak and that they’ve found something to work toward.” Joanne added.  
Nick and Zak smiled at each other across the circle as their parents went on and on about them as if they weren’t standing right there. Nick rolled his eyes and Zak couldn’t help but chuckle, accidentally bringing the conversation around them to a halt.  
“Can we get anyone a drink?” Nick asked quickly.  
“We have beer and pretty much any kind of liquor you can think of.” Zak added. “Mom, I know you like gin and tonic?”  
“Oh, that sounds wonderful Zaky.” Tonya said appreciatively.  
“Make it two of those.” Joanne agreed.  
“Dad?” Nick asked.  
“I’ll take a beer.”  
“Okay, we’ll be right back!” Zak said, pulling Nick along with him. “Sorry about my mom.” he chuckled once they were out of earshot.  
“No, she’s great.” Nick said.  
“She can be a bit much…”  
“I like her.” He couldn’t help but smile. Clearly Zak was blind to their similarities. “So, _Zaky_ , huh?” Nick said with a playful jab to the older man’s ribs.  
“Shut up.” Zak chuckled. “That does _not_ leave this room.”  
“No promises.” Nick said, making his way to the fridge to grab some bottles of beer. “They seem to be getting along pretty well.” he said , glancing over toward their parents as he popped open the bottles.  
“Yeah, I just hope my mom doesn’t talk their ears off. Once she gets going, she’s pretty hard to stop. And she’s got no filter.”  
“So, kind of like you?” Nick joked, earning him a glare from Zak. “Don’t worry about it. My mom will give her a run for her money.” Nick chuckled. “We got a pretty good turnout tonight.”  
“Yeah!” Zak agreed. “Definitely better than I thought.”  
“I’m sure the free alcohol helps.”  
“True…” Zak said, eyes darting to a familiar group of guys quickly draining a bottle of vodka. “That would explain Jason and the shot bros over there.”  
“Yeah. I haven’t talked to him in months.” Nick said. “Oh well, we need all the eyes on this thing that we can get.”  
“Yeah, we do.” Zak agreed. And suddenly it hit him that they were about to show this very personal project to a room full of friends and family. “What if they hate it?”  
“Who? Jason and them?” Nick asked, already not caring.  
“No. Everyone else. What if we spent all this time pouring our hearts into this thing and it’s not enough?”  
Nick could see the worry in Zak’s eyes. The fear of disappointment that seemed to follow the older man around. His insecurities had a habit of bleeding into so many aspects of his life. And Nick wanted nothing more than to show Zak what he saw when he looked at him.  
“There’s so much of _you_ in this film, Zak. No one who cares about you could hate it.” he said, locking eyes with the older man.  
Zak smiled shyly, feeling his heart twist inside him. Sometimes when Nick spoke, it was hard for Zak to remember why he couldn’t kiss him.  
“It’s gonna be great.” Nick reassured him. “You’ll see. Now let’s get these drinks passed out and show them this damn movie!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I mentioned above, this chapter got away from me a bit. I'm already working on the second part and hope to post it later this week! Hope you're enjoying it so far!


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter picks up right where we left off. It the night of the premier of their first documentary.

“First of all, we wanted to thank you all for coming tonight.” Nick said, addressing the crowd in front of him. “It really means a lot to us to have the support of friends and family. Zak and I put a lot of work into this project and I think I speak for both of us when I say that it’s something we’re really proud of. It wasn’t always easy. And at times it was pretty scary, as you’re gonna see, but it’s something that we are both really passionate about. When we set out to make this film, we sat down and talked about who our target audience would be. And we decided this movie wasn’t for the skeptics. We aren’t trying to prove anything to anyone. This film is for the people who have seen things they can’t explain. People who have been told time and time again not to believe what they saw with their own eyes. People who feel alone.” He paused, glancing in Zak’s direction. The older man smiled warmly back at him. “This movie is for them. So we’re not asking you to believe what we believe, we’re just asking you to commit to watching with an open mind. And we hope you enjoy it.”   
“Here here!” Aaron called out, raising his bottle.   
“I think Zak wanted to say something too?” Nick said, more than happy to step out of the spotlight for a minute.   
“Yeah, thanks.” Zak said, exhaling deeply. “It’s gonna be hard to follow that.” he chuckled nervously. “I definitely want to echo what Nick said. It’s awesome to have all of your support tonight. This has been an eye-opening, amazing, _crazy_ experience. And I couldn’t have asked for a better or more supportive partner in crime to get me through it.” He said, squeezing Nick’s shoulder. “And I couldn’t be prouder of what we accomplished together.” He paused, preparing himself for what he wanted to say. “So, I guess the last thing is that I wanted to dedicate this film to Nick’s grandmother. I never met her myself, but I’ve heard Nick talk about her. And from what he’s told me, she sounds like an amazing woman. She was strong and curious and always searching out the unknown, trying to explain it. She encouraged those qualities in Nick and I think she’s a big part of why he’s such a talented storyteller. So, while I didn’t have the privilege of knowing her, I’m thankful for all she did to shape Nick into the man he is. It’s because of his excitement, curiosity and determination that this film even exists. So let’s all raise a glass to grandma Groff!”   
Nick raised his glass, still trying to wrap his head around Zak’s speech. He had no idea the older man was going to say those things and they left his head swimming. There were so many things he wanted to say, but he couldn’t slow his heart long enough to find the words.   
“Cheers, man.” Zak said, as he turned to clink glasses with Nick. He couldn’t help but notice the wide-eyed stare Nick met him with. Or the way his mouth hung open with words he was clearly trying to find. Zak knew he’d probably caught Nick off guard, but he’d been thinking about it for a while, and he wanted to say it.   
“Cheers.” Nick stammered, meeting Zak’s eyes and bringing their glasses together. He opened his mouth to say more, but before he could get the words out, his mother was at his side.   
“Oh, Zak. That was just beautiful.” she said, hugging him tightly, tears welling in her eyes.   
“Yes, thank you.” his father chimed in. “My mother was a wonderful woman and I know she would have been first in line to see this film. She would have been very proud of you both.”  
Nick stood speechless while his parents went on and on thanking Zak. He felt like a tongue-tied idiot. Zak was his best friend and he’d just said some really nice things. Nick wished that they could have a minute alone where he could say all the things he wanted to say without all these eyes on them.   
“Alright, well that’s enough of that.” Zak said, dismissively. “You guys didn’t come here to listen to me talk. What do you say we start this movie!?”   
The group whooped and hollered, clearly ready to start the main event. But all Nick could focus on were the butterflies in his stomach and the blue of Zak’s eyes.   
“Nick, would you do the honors?” Zak asked, trying to bring the younger man out of his stupor.   
“Yeah, sure.” Nick said, making his way to the projector. “Okay, so without further ado, we present _Ghost Adventures_! It’s a working title…” He pressed play, quickly finding a spot on the floor next to Zak and flashing him a nervous smile. 

“Congrats you guys.” Aaron said with hearty slaps to both their backs. “That was really something. I mean, the emotion... This wasn’t just some run-of-the-mill ghost story. You really got to the heart of Mary Ann. Powerful stuff, guys.”  
“Thanks, man.” Nick grinned. The viewing had gone better than he could have expected. Everyone really seemed to enjoy the film and Nick felt like he was on cloud nine. The celebratory drinks they’d had certainly didn’t hurt.   
“Thanks, Aaron.” Zak echoed, flashing the goofy grin he got when he drank. “Soon it’s gonna be the three of us out there filming.”   
“I know. Don’t remind me!” Aaron chuckled. “Not after all the crazy shit that happened to you guys.”   
“We got your back.” Zak reassured. “And now there’s _three_ of us to watch out for each other.”  
“Strength in numbers.” Nick chimed in. “Besides, we don’t have to worry about that right now. Tonight, we’re celebrating! Let’s do a shot!”  
“No, no, no…” Aaron said, holding his hands up for mercy. “I already drank way too much. I gotta work in the morning.”  
“Come on!” Zak taunted. “Be young and dumb with us!”  
“I wish I could.” Aaron chuckled. “Another night for sure.”  
“Alright...thanks for coming out tonight, buddy. We really appreciate the support.” Nick said, pulling Aaron into a hug. He wasn’t much of a hugger, but he always got a little more affectionate with the right amount of alcohol.   
“No problem. It was awesome. Really. You’re not gonna have any trouble shopping this out to the networks.”  
“We’ll just be happy if _anyone_ agrees to look at it.” Zak chuckled. “Alright, man. We’ll talk to you soon.”  
“See ya!” Aaron said, making his way out the door. 

“What a night!” Zak said, letting out a huge sigh before plopping himself down on the couch.   
“No kidding.” Nick agreed, sitting down next to him. “I can’t believe we did it.” He grinned. “And everyone liked it.”  
Zak smiled back. With the stress of the evening passed, he felt lighter than air.   
“Even my _mom_ liked it. She _cried_. Did you see her cry?”   
“I did.” Nick smiled. “I think it’s safe to say she’s a believer now.”   
Zak smiled happily to himself. It was such a relief to have his mother finally believe him. He hadn’t realized until tonight just how heavily it had been weighing on him.   
“I know.” he said, feeling his eyes well up with tears. He looked down at his hands, hoping Nick wouldn’t notice.   
“Hey...” Nick said, placing a warm hand on Zak’s shoulder. He didn’t know if Zak’s tears were sad or happy, but he fought the urge to reach out and wipe them away.   
“I’m just relieved.” Zak said, shaking his head dismissively. “And probably a little drunk too.”  
“You and me both.” Nick chuckled, sliding his hand down Zak’s arm before reluctantly pulling away.   
Zak’s eyes met his with a grateful smile and Nick couldn’t help but notice how bright they looked. Still glassy with tears, but brilliant blue. He looked beautiful and Nick was almost drunk enough to tell him so.   
“Your parents seemed to really enjoy themselves too.” Zak said. “They were practically bursting with pride.”  
“Yeah, they were.” Nick smiled. “But they think everything I do is amazing. So, I take it with a grain of salt.”  
“They’re not wrong, you know.” Zak said sincerely, smiling softly at the younger man.   
Nick blushed slightly at the compliment. He’d been getting a lot of those from Zak tonight and he had to say, he didn’t mind.  
“I wanted to thank you, by the way...” Nick said, happy to finally have a quiet moment to say so. “It meant a lot to me to have my parents here tonight.”  
“It was just a quick email.” Zak shrugged dismissively.  
“No, it’s more than that.” Nick said seriously. “You knew it was important to me to have them here, and you made it happen. You have no idea what that means to me.”  
“I just wanted you to be happy.” Zak said honestly. It was his motivation most days. He wanted to see Nick happy, even if it meant his own unhappiness.   
“And all that stuff you said about my grandma...I don’t know how to say thank you for that.” he said. “Nothing seems good enough. And so I just stood there like an idiot instead of telling you how _lucky_ I feel to have you in my life.”  
Zak smiled happily, feeling a fresh wave of tears well up his eyes.   
“I know I caught you off guard…”   
“You did.” Nick agreed. “In more ways than one.”  
Zak looked at him, confusion washing over his face. But Nick didn’t bother explaining. He was still putting words to the feelings himself. But he knew they were there. He’d been feeling them building for a while now. At first it was little things; a smile or the way their shoulders brushed together as they walked, sending tingling sensations down his arm. And then there was the first night he’d watched Zak sleep. Admiring the peaceful lines of his face and his mussed up hair. He remembered the urge to run his hands through it. To _feel_ Zak just as he was. But it wasn’t just the physical. That could be ignored. It was the way his chest ached when Zak packed his things and moved back home. He’d never remembered feeling so lonely or so scared. The thought of Zak alone and unprotected was almost more than he could handle. He wanted to be there to keep Zak safe. Just to be _near_ him. And when the older man had opened up to him about his heartbreak, Nick thought the pain in Zak’s eyes would be the end of him. Because when Zak hurt, Nick felt it inside himself. And he would _do_ anything or _say_ anything to make it right. To make sure that Zak knew that he was special and worthy and loved.   
...And _loved_.  
And before he knew what he was doing, his hands came to rest on either of Zak’s cheeks, feeling the soft, warm skin beneath his fingers. His heart raced as Zak stared at him, unblinking. Slowly, be brought his lips toward Zak’s, feeling the weight of his actions and praying the older man wouldn’t move to stop him. An eternity and a moment later, their lips met and Nick felt warmth spread across his body as Zak’s lips began to move against his own. His beer-tainted lips were soft and sweet and Nick felt as if every other kiss he’d had before this had been a complete waste of time. Nothing compared to the waves of emotion that rolled through his body, springing from his lips and fingertips as he he kissed Zak. He let his hands travel down the older man’s arms as his tongue dared to move over Zak’s lips. Zak groaned softly in approval as Nick’s tongue found its way into his mouth. The older man’s arms wrapped around him, pulling him in tight as his lips moved eagerly against Nick’s. Nick pressed Zak back onto the couch, wanting to close any bit of space between their bodies as his lips began to travel down to Zak’s neck.   
Zak relished the feel of Nick’s hands on his body. The warmth of the younger man’s lips dragging down his neck had Zak spinning. He wasn’t sure how this had happened, or why, but he felt his body giving over completely. His hands dug into the muscle of Nick’s back, pulling him closer. Never close enough. He knew he had to stop. This wasn’t what he wanted. At least not like this. Nick was drunk and he wasn’t thinking straight and Zak knew that if he let this continue, he would likely lose Nick forever. And as much as he ached to go as far as Nick would let him, he couldn’t imagine the pain of losing him when regret set in.   
“Woah...Nick. Slow down for a second.” Zak said, already feeling the misery of stopping something he wanted so desperately.   
“Shit.” Nick said, moving to give Zak space. “I’m so sorry.”   
He hadn’t even stopped to think about whether _Zak_ wanted this. He just let his emotions take over and now he was being rejected. It hurt more than he could have imagined.   
“I don't know why I did that...I’m sorry.” He said, unable to meet Zak’s eyes as he fought back the tears prickling his eyes.  
“You kissed me.” Zak said simply, needing to hear the words out loud.   
“Fuck, Zak. I know…” Nick said miserably.   
“Why did you do it?” He had to know. Even if it was just a drunken mistake, _something_ had made Nick want to kiss him. And he wanted to know what it was so he could do it every single day.   
“I don’t know. I started thinking...and then I just... _had_ to.” Nick said, chancing a glance at Zak. Trying to read his expression to see what damage he’d done. “I’m sorry.”  
“I just can’t be the guy you kiss when you’re drunk or lonely or horny or whatever this is…”  
“That’s not-”  
“You mean way too much to me, Nick. I can’t stand the thought of losing you when you realize you don’t want to kiss me anymore.” Zak said, tears rolling down his cheeks.   
“What if I do wanna kiss you?” Nick asked, reaching up to wipe away a tear as it rolled down Zak’s cheek. “What if I want to _keep_ kissing you for a long time?”  
“You’re drunk…”  
“That’s not what this is.” Nick said seriously. “I’ve wanted this for a while now. I just couldn’t admit it to myself. And tonight, looking at you, I just realized it. And I know the timing was horrible and I should have _talked_ to you about it instead of just... _pouncing_ like that. But Zak...I couldn’t help myself.”  
Zak sat quietly, taking a moment to absorb the information. This wasn’t what he’d expected, but his heart swelled with happiness at the promise.  
“So, say you kiss me again...what happens tomorrow?” he asked.  
“I was thinking waffles?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You GUYS! I am so sorry for the sap. But I really can't help myself with these two. 
> 
> Thank you so much for being patient with me. I had this idea for when they would finally kiss, and I didn't want to give it up. I'm so happy I waited for the right moment! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!
> 
> This is NOT the end! Don't worry. I have another chapter in mind. Maaaaaaybe two. We'll see how it goes... 
> 
> Thanks you, as always, for reading!!


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zak and Nick explore their new relationship.*
> 
> *This chapter NSFW

Zak’s eyes popped open. It was light out, but still early, judging by the position of the sun. Nick was still there, and Zak let out a quiet sigh of relief as he curled himself tighter around the younger man. He’d slept in spurts, unwillingly lulled to sleep by the warmth of Nick’s arms around him and the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath him. He hadn’t meant to drift off. And each time he did, he woke panicked that Nick had come to his senses and slipped away in the night. Or worse, that it had all been a dream. But there he was. Still sleeping soundly, and Zak was determined to stay awake this time.   
Nick stirred in his sleep. He was warm and relaxed and he wanted to stay asleep a little longer, but his body seemed to have other ideas. He kept his eyes closed, hoping to sink back into darkness, but it was no use. His brain was waking up. First, he registered the weight on his chest; heavy, but comforting. Then, he began to notice the warm breath ghosting over his skin. He felt the strong frame wrapped around him and smelled the familiar floral scent that could only be Zak’s hair products. He smiled to himself, opening his eyes as he remembered the events of the night before. He felt his smile spread as he took in the sight. Zak was wrapped around him, head tucked securely under Nick’s chin, breathing deeply as he slept. Nick wrapped his arms around the older man, pulling him in and pressing his lips to his forehead. He inhaled the scent of Zak’s hair, bringing a hand up to gently comb through it. He was pleased to find that it was as soft as he thought it would be. Zak moaned quietly in his sleep as Nick continued to smooth the disheveled locks.   
Nick ran his hand slowly over the older man’s back, feeling the dips and curves of his muscles. He ached to slip his fingertips up under the hem of his shirt. To feel the milky skin under his fingers. To taste it. But that would have to wait. So he settled for running long lines up and down the older man’s spine, hoping to gently rouse him from sleep. Zak sighed, burrowing his head into the crook of Nick’s arm and Nick took a moment to admire the softness of his face as he slept. This was the face he had fallen in love with. And looking at it now, he couldn’t understand why it had taken him so long to realize it. He leaned in, pressing his lips to Zak’s. Normally, he would have preferred to brush his teeth first, but the older man had him pinned and he couldn’t resist tasting those lips again. Zak smiled softly, murmuring Nick’s name in his sleep and Nick couldn’t help the quiet chuckle that escaped his lips. Zak was dreaming about him right now, and he found himself wondering if this was the first time. Of course, _he_ had dreamt about _Zak_. Dreamt about this very moment, laying in bed and holding him close. At the time, he couldn’t explain it. But now, the meaning seemed _painfully_ obvious.   
He smoothed his hands over Zak’s arms, enjoying the feeling of the older man’s muscles beneath his fingers as he leaned in to plant another kiss to Zak’s lips. This time, he felt Zak kiss back, groaning softly as Nick’s hand slid over his skin. Slowly, Zak’s eyes fluttered open and Nick pulled back, smiling happily.   
“Good morning.” Nick said with a grin. “I thought you were never gonna wake up.” He went in for another peck, which the older man happily accepted.   
“You’re still here.” Zak smiled, feeling his heart swell in his chest.   
“What, are you sick of me already?” Nick asked with a smirk.   
“No.” Zak said sincerely. “I just wasn’t sure…”  
“Well now you know.” Nick said, running his hand up and down Zak’s arm.   
“And _you’re_ still sure?” Zak asked. He just needed to know that this was _really_ what Nick wanted. It was the reason he hadn’t let things go further than kissing the night before. As much as he wanted to be with Nick in that way, it wasn’t worth losing his best friend.   
“Oh, I’m positive.” Nick said, leaning forward and capturing Zak’s lips between his own. Zak pressed into the younger man, wrapping his arms around the back of his neck as he moved to deepen the kiss. Nick’s tongue found it’s way into Zak’s mouth and he moaned as the older man sucked on it softly, sending jolts of pleasure through his body. Zak was good at this and Nick couldn’t help the nervous butterflies in his stomach as he wondered what else Zak could do with that talented mouth.   
“You okay?” Zak mumbled against his lips.   
Nick nodded his head, rolling Zak over and pinning the older man under himself. He kissed a line down the strong neck, feeling Zak’s breathing quicken beneath him. He brought his fingers down to dance at the hemline of the older man’s shirt before sliding his hands up and under to feel the warm skin against his. Zak grabbed for the corners of his shirt, stripping it off and tossing it to the floor. His head arched back against the bed as Nick began to kiss and lick his way up the exposed flesh. Zak tasted amazing. And Nick took his time, stopping to kiss and suck on each nipple, pulling beautiful sounds from the older man. He made his way back up to Zak’s collar bone, finally bringing their lips back together.  
Zak grabbed for Nick’s shirt, pulling it up and over his head before running his hands over the hard chest. He hadn’t really seen Nick shirtless before, and he took a moment to admire the lean muscle. Nick was breathtaking and Zak’s chest ached as he looked at him. He wrapped his arms around Nick’s back, pulling him down and kissing him long and deep. Nick’s hands hardly came to rest, smoothing over any skin he could get his hands on as Zak continued to kiss him senseless. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he realized that beyond this point, he had almost no idea what he was doing. He broke the kiss, resting his forehead on Zak’s as he worked to catch his breath.   
Zak breathed heavily against Nick, rubbing calming circles into the younger man’s back as he regained his composure.   
“It’s okay, Nick. We don’t have to do anything else.” Zak said, understanding how terrifying this moment must be for the younger man.   
“No, I want to.” Nick said seriously. He didn’t want to stop and he could already feel his boxer briefs straining. “I just don’t really know what I’m doing.” he admitted shyly.   
“You could’ve fooled me.” Zak said, with a grin. His face and chest were red with exertion, and his body was already buzzing with desire.   
“The kissing is the easy part.” Nick chuckled softly.   
“I’ve _never_ been kissed like _that_.” Zak said sincerely. “The rest of it’s not so hard either.” he said, hoping to put the younger man at ease without pressuring him. “It just takes some getting used to.”  
“Does it hurt?” Nick asked.   
“It doesn’t have to.” Zak said. “In fact, I was kind of hoping that maybe you would... _if you want_. Then it won’t hurt at all.”   
“But won’t I hurt _you_?” Nick asked. He hated feeling clueless, but Zak had a way of making him feel comfortable in his cluelessness.   
“Only a little.” Zak said. “We just have to go slow. And then it’s gonna feel really good. Trust me.”  
Nick nodded his head. He was nervous, but not because he didn’t want to do it. He did. He really wanted to be with Zak like this.   
“I trust you.” Nick said. “You just gotta talk me through this, okay? I don’t want to hurt you.”   
“Of course. But Nick, we don’t have to do this today.” Zak reiterated.   
“I know. I want to.” Nick said decidedly, eyes piercing into Zak’s. “I’ve never been more sure about anything and you’ve never looked so beautiful.”

“Nick…” Zak moaned, grip growing tighter around the younger man’s hips as he drove deeper into him. Nick’s hand matching the rhythm of his hips as he squeezed and twisted Zak’s burning flesh.   
“Is it good?” Nick asked, reveling in the sounds coming from the older man.   
He nodded silently, mouth hanging open, eyes squeezed shut as he came closer and closer to the edge.   
“Look at me, Zak.” Nick breathed. “I want to see you.”  
Zak fought to keep his eyes open as waves of electricity rolled over him. His muscles trembled as he dug his fingers into Nick’s hips, pulling him that much closer. He felt his back arch off the bed as he came, warm liquid hitting his stomach as his muscles continued to shake. He worked to catch his breath as he pulled Nick’s lips down to his, kissing him hungrily before wrapping his legs around the younger man and flipping them.   
“Now it’s your turn.” he grinned, smoothing his hands over Nick’s chest as rolled his hips back, sliding Nick back inside himself.   
“Zak…” Nick groaned, head falling back into the pillows. He was close, but he gritted his teeth, not ready to give in just yet. Not when it felt this good. Zak swiveled his hips, pleasure clouding his eyes as he slammed himself down on Nick. The feeling was unlike anything Nick had ever experienced. His entire body tingled with his impending release but he found himself more interested in the sounds coming from Zak and the way his face twisted with pleasure. He decided this must be what it felt like to make love. He smoothed his hands over Zak’s sweat-slick skin, feeling goosebumps rise up at his touch. Zak breathed out his name, bringing a hand up to stroke himself as he continued to move on top of Nick. Nick watched intently, working to control the tremors rippling through his body. Holding himself at the edge so that Zak could finish one more time.   
“I’m not gonna last.” Zak managed between ragged breaths.  
“That’s okay, just let go.” Nick said, squeezing the older man’s thighs as he moved desperately against him.   
“Are you close?” Zak asked.   
“I’m right behind you.” Nick urged, feeling his body tightening as Zak picked up speed.   
The older man let go first, eyes slamming shut as loud moans escaped his lips. He fought to stay upright, anchoring himself on Nick’s chest as he continued to move. Nick pulled at Zak’s back, bringing the older man closer as he felt himself fall over the edge.

Zak lay against Nick’s chest, feeling the younger man’s heart beat against his ear. He couldn’t wipe the smile from his face as he ran his hands over Nick’s skin. This was easily the happiest moment of his life and he wanted to soak up every little detail. Nick’s arm wrapped around him and he felt the younger man’s lips on the top of his head. He smiled wider, lifting his head to bring their lips together in a simple kiss. He pulled back, looking into Nick’s dark eyes as the younger man smiled back at him.   
“You’re so quiet.” Zak said, suddenly worried Nick hadn’t enjoyed himself as much as he thought.   
“Sorry, I’m still recovering.” Nick chuckled. “That was unreal.”  
“Good unreal?”  
“Amazing…” Nick said sincerely. He was trying to think of words to even begin to describe it, but he was at a loss. “I had no idea it could feel like that.”  
“I know.” Zak said with a bashful smile, pressing his face into Nick’s chest as he blushed.   
“So, I did okay?” Nick asked. Zak had clearly enjoyed himself, but Nick wasn’t sure how much of that he could attribute to himself.   
“Are you kidding me?’ Zak asked. “You did better than okay! Two times, I might add.”  
Nick smiled softly, he hated feeling like he was fishing for compliments. But if he was doing something wrong, he wanted to know.  
“I mean it, Nick.” Zak said, seriously. “That was...better than I ever could have imagined. And I’ve spent some time imagining it.”   
“Is that right?” Nick grinned.   
“Well, what do you want? I thought I was in love with a _straight guy_.” Zak chuckled. He didn’t register the words until they had already left his mouth. “Shit…” he said, feeling the color drain from his face. “Nick...that was too fast. I’m sorry.” He sat up, putting a little space between them. The last thing he wanted to do was scare Nick off. Not after how perfect this day had been.  
“So you love me, huh?” Nick asked with a smirk.  
“I don’t have to…” Zak lied. “Really. We could just pretend I didn’t say that.”  
Nick smiled, watching Zak as he desperately tried to backpedal. He was flustered, and awkward and adorable.   
“If it’s all the same to you, I think I’m done pretending.” Nick said, pulling Zak in by the nape of his neck and pressing their lips together. 

“The only thing better than waffles is _sex_ and waffles.” Zak said, taking a big bite. “I could get used to this.” he added, syrup coating his lips.   
Nick smiled, leaning in to kiss his sticky lips.   
“Mmm...me too.” he said, licking the syrup from his own lips.   
“Good thing I bought this waffle iron.” Zak smirked. “Now I have everything I need.”  
“Yeah, now you just have to learn how to make waffles.” Nick joked.   
“That’s what I have you for.”   
Nick rolled his eyes, chuckling as he made his way back to the counter to check on the next batch.   
“You ready for another one?" He asked.   
“Yes, please.” Zak grinned, holding up his plate to accept the steaming waffle.   
Zak took his time, pouring syrup into each and every nook of the waffle. And Nick wondered, once again, how he managed to stay in such great shape.   
“So...have you thought about what you wanna tell people?” Zak asked as casually as he could manage. He kept his eyes trained on his waffle as he continued to drizzle syrup over it.   
The question came out of the blue and Nick took a second to process it. But he could tell it had been weighing on Zak’s mind, judging by the way the older man avoided eye contact.   
“It’s all been kind of a whirlwind, you know?” Nick said truthfully. “Yesterday at this time I had no idea that this is where we’d be right now.”  
“No, I get it.” Zak nodded. He tried not to feel hurt. He’d been in love with Nick for months and the younger man had only just realized his own feelings the night before. It was gonna take some time.   
“But I’m thinking, I wanna tell my family first.” he said. “Would you wanna to be there with me for that?”  
“Of course!” Zak said, face lighting up. “If you want me to be there.”  
“I do. I think it’s gonna be a bit of a shock for them. And I would feel a lot better with you there next to me.”   
“Then _of course_ I’ll be there.” Zak said with a smile.   
“Do you want me to be there when you tell your mom?” Nick asked.   
“Oh...well, I sort of already texted her.” Zak admitted bashfully. “The whole me dating men thing comes as less of a shock to her. And she was really pulling for us to get together.”   
“She was?” Nick asked, surprised.   
“Yeah. I tried to tell her you were straight, but she insited. When she left last night, she told me that I should kiss you. That you were just too dumb to notice that you were in love with me. But if I kissed you, you’d realize it. I told her she was crazy.”  
“She was right.” Nick said, running his hand over Zak’s. “I _was_ dumb. I’m so sorry to have put you through that.”   
The older man smiled warmly, pulling Nick’s hand to his mouth to kiss his fingers lightly.   
“That’s okay. I’m just so happy you finally figured it out.”  
“Me too.” Nick agreed, pressing their lips together softly. “I just wish it hadn’t taken me so long. Especially now that I know what I’ve been missing.”  
Zak smiled, feeling a blush creep over his cheeks as he soaked in this moment. This past year had been the best and most challenging time of his life. From the moment he’d laid eyes on Nick, his life had veered off in unexpected directions. He’d made a best friend, fallen in love and felt his heart break in ways he couldn’t have imagined. But for the first time, he felt actual purpose. He was no longer wandering through his days, bored and uninspired. Nick had pushed him to _do_ more and _be_ more than he ever would have thought possible. And to have the younger man return his love felt like more happiness than he deserved in a lifetime. He looked into those chocolate brown eyes, realizing just how much Nick had done for him. And he knew he would gladly give him everything in return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well...I think that's it for this story. And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't mourning it already! *casually wipes tear* But don't worry, I'm not done writing about these two lovesick nerds. 
> 
> I want to thank everyone who stuck with this story even when they thought I would never let these two kiss! I hope that you are satisfied with the way it ended. I am pretty proud of it myself. I especially want to thank everyone who took the time to comment! It is VERY appreciated. I pour a lot of heart and time into these stories and it means a lot to hear that they are being read and enjoyed (or not). 
> 
> You guys are the best! Be back soon with more NAK stories!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! I'll be posting more soon. 
> 
> Let me know what you think in the comments! I really love chatting with my fellow NAK lovers.


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